


Remember Me

by sbstevenson2



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:23:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 80,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14863991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sbstevenson2/pseuds/sbstevenson2
Summary: Regina Mills and David Nolan have been married for seven years. What happens when David wakes up after a car accident with no memory of ever falling in love with Regina?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is my first attempt at an EvilCharming story, so I hope you like it. It is set seven years after season 2 (but a lot of season 2 is referenced), and is canon divergent. I hope you enjoy… please leave a review and let me know what y’all think! :)
> 
> {**********************}

**Chapter One:**

This isn’t right. It’s not fair. He had just kissed her goodbye two days ago before he headed into work at the sheriff’s station. Now, he’s lying here, unconscious, and the doctors don’t know when he’ll wake up. If he’ll wake up. God, she hopes he does. She’s angry, so angry at Leroy and his drunken self for getting behind the wheel of his car, crashing into her love’s truck and flipping it across Main Street.

The sight had been awful, blood and broken windows, glass shattered all over the road, and both men lying there, unmoving. It was like something from her worst nightmares. He had, luckily, been wearing his seatbelt so he remained in his car, but his head hit the roof of his truck over and over again with each roll it made along the pavement’s grainy surface. Leroy hadn’t been so lucky, not wearing his seatbelt and all, and was thrown from his car, slamming into the nearest light pole, effectively breaking his leg. He’s fine though, the lucky dwarf, a few broken ribs along with his leg and a sprained wrist. Isn’t that how it always goes? The victims get far worse than the person who caused the accident. Leroy was discharged yesterday, but not for long. As mayor, she made sure that Emma, the deputy sheriff, arrested him for drunk driving. It’s what he deserves. He should be the one lying in this hospital bed, head injury and broken ribs, unaware of the family that waits for him to wake up.

He groans, and Regina’s eyes pop open, frantically finding her husband’s scruff covered face as he shifts his body ever so slightly in the bed. The monitors around him beep continuously, no change in their rhythm.

“David?”

He groans again, head tilting in her direction, but his eyes still aren’t open. She’d give anything to see those baby blue eyes again, the eyes she loves to stare into each morning before she drags herself from the comfort of his arms. “David, can you hear me?” Regina reaches out a hand from where she’s perched in the oversized hospital chair, wrapping her fingers around his hand.

His eyes open at the contact, blue eyes unclear for a moment before the cloud around them vanishes and they settle on her brown ones. Regina’s face splits into a wide, toothy smile upon seeing them, but his brow furrows when she sits up to move closer to his bed.

“R-Regina?”

She sighs a breath of relief, thankful that he still knows who she is. The doctors said there was a possibility of amnesia after his car accident due to the impact on his temporal lobe. There’d been no internal bleeding, thank God, but the scans had shown that his hippocampus and thalamus had both been bruised in the accident. The amount of hits his head took to the metal roof could pose a problem. Retrograde amnesia, Whale had called it, saying there was a chance David could wake up with memory loss, they just wouldn’t know for certain until her husband eventually awoke.

“Oh, thank God, David,” she says, leaning in to kiss the knuckles of the hand she’s holding.

Before her lips can make contact though, a flash of anger crosses his features and he rips his hand from hers. She sits back, stunned, staring at him in confusion. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“Don’t call me that,” he hisses, sitting further up in the bed. “Where’s Snow?”

Shaking her head slowly, she informs him hesitantly that she’s most likely at home.

“Well get her here. She’s my wife! She should be here, not _you._ ”

Panic. Fear. These are the emotions she feels in this moment. She knew there was a chance he wouldn’t remember some information, had been told that several times over the last two days, but she never truly  believed he’d wake up still believing himself to be married to Snow White.

Taking a deep breath, Regina leans forward, conscious not to touch his hand again, fingertips just lingering beside his, close enough to feel their warmth. “David, I’m… your wife.”

His face contorts in anger, then confusion, as his brows pinch together then smooth out as they raise to his hairline. “That’s impossible!” he shouts, shifting in the bed, heart monitor starting to beep just a touch faster. “You’re the _Evil_ Queen!”

If anything could ever remind her of the time her own mother had reached inside her chest and squeezed her heart, this was it. The Evil Queen. Her husband’s mind has taken him so many years back to when she was the ruler everyone feared. She’s come so far since then, redeeming herself, trying to be better for Henry and the rest of her family. Pain is all she can feel at his words and the look of disgust on his face.

She closes her eyes, breathing in slowly, then opening again. She adjusts her body in the seat, fanning out her black tunic before slouching over, hands on her knees, as she leans closer to the bed. He’s looking around the room, asking for Snow over and over again, getting more frantic by the second.

“Okay, okay,” she concedes, picking up her phone to send a text to her friend. “I’ll get her here.”

Luckily, Snow had been close by, retrieving a few books from her classroom. The pixie-haired brunette comes rushing in, bending over to sweep Regina into a hug from where she sits planted in the chair and asking if everything is alright.

“Snow!” David exclaims happily, sitting up, still trying to remove the tubes and wires from his skin. Snow and Regina break apart, turning to see David gazing at them, confusion coloring his face. “Why are you _hugging_ the Evil Queen?”

Snow sighs, looking at Regina sympathetically as she takes the seat on the other side of David’s bed. Taking his hand in hers, Snow begins to explain. “She’s not evil, David. She’s your wife.”

He shakes his head furiously, denying that fact over and over again, claiming it to be impossible. With each denial of their marriage, their love, Regina’s heart aches a bit more.

“No, no,” he chuckles indignantly, “ _You_ are my wife, Snow. What is going on?”

Snow makes eye contact with Regina, wordlessly communicating her support. “You and I are divorced, David. And have been… for seven years,” she finishes with a grimace.

David scoffs, roaming his eyes between the two women, telling them they’ve both lost their minds. He tells them that Emma just broke Regina’s dark curse, and they’ve finally been reunited again after so long.

Snow and Regina sigh in unison as Regina tries to take his hand again, out of habit, and explain it all. Yanking his hand away once more, he drags it over his face and into his hair, scratching lightly at the part of his scalp not covered in a bandage.

Regina feels for him, she really does, knows that suffering from this memory loss can’t be easy. He’s missed so much, seven years of life just… gone.

“David…” Snow begins, “You’ve missed a lot. But you’ll get your memories back, I just know it.”

Regina rolls her eyes; she’s always been so hopeful. Regina envies that, wishes she could have hope in this moment that her husband would remember her, would remember their life together. This is torture.

David lets out a defeated sigh, admitting defeat after a few elongated moments of silence and asking what all he’s missed, why he and Snow aren’t married anymore, what happened to get him here.

It’s a long story, it really is, so Snow and Regina try to condense it, piggybacking off of what the other one has to say as they go. They tell David how after the curse was broken, Emma and Snow fell through a portal in Jefferson’s hat.

“We were gone for awhile,” Snow recounts, pursing her lips in thought, “Over a year.” She tells him how when she came back from the Enchanted Forest, she felt differently for him, had realized she wasn’t in love with that man anymore.

Regina joins in, saying while they were gone, he and Regina were here, raising Henry together while trying to find a way to bring them back. She tried everything she could, wanting to bring back her son’s grandma and biological mother, and also wanting to bring back David’s wife and daughter. She searched spell books and conjured up every potion she could think of, but nothing ever worked. They had become close friends, and she hated seeing him miss his family so much. Overtime, though, “We thought they were never coming back,” she tells him, as he closes his eyes and drops his head against his pillow. Opening them back up, he looks to Snow.

“So I just gave up on you?” he asks sadly, breaking Regina’s heart. Giving up on Snow was the _last_ thing he did, which she assures him of.

“You didn’t give up, David,” she promises, shaking her head. “Neither of us did.” Regina slowly tells him that he admitted to having feelings for her ten months after Snow and Emma disappeared. She felt the same, of course, after so many months of working together, parenting together, becoming friends, but she needed to wait and see if they could get Snow back before they let it go anywhere. She never wanted to break up their marriage, always encouraging David to not give up. “At first I thought you were just lonely, and that’s why you wanted to be with me,” she admits before Snow jumps in, adding, “But that wasn’t the case. You had _real_ feelings for Regina.”

“Which you always reminded me of when I would try to fight this,” she chuckles lightly, waving a hand in between their bodies. It had been so hard, fighting the feelings she had for him back then. He swore up and down that he wasn’t just lonely, that he would feel the same way for her whether Snow was there or not. It was hard for her to believe; things never worked out well for her when it came to romance.

 _“David,” Regina says sadly, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. “You_ can’t _have feelings for me. You love Snow, you’re just missing her and-”_

_“Will you stop saying that?!” David cuts in, exasperatedly. “I’m not just lonely, Regina. You’re my best friend, and I want to be with you. Snow or no Snow.”_

_Regina sighs, pulling herself from the wall she’s found her body pressed against. Ducking under his arm, she walks over to her desk, picking up a city ordinance paper to glance at, trying to do anything but have this conversation. Again._

_He’s told her multiple times in the last few weeks how he feels, all about his strong feelings and how he’s falling for her, has already fallen for her over the last few months if he’s honest with himself. She’s rolled her eyes each time, never believing that Prince Charming would choose the Evil Queen over Snow White. It’s preposterous._  

_“Regina,” he says tiredly, turning his body away from the wall to face her once more. “You and I have become so close. Closer than I ever thought possible.” He smiles, and she smiles too despite herself. The last ten months have been hard, trying to find a way to bring back Henry’s family, but they’ve also been wonderful. She and David have taken Henry to school together, or picked him up almost every day. They’ve had family dinners and movie nights complete with popcorn and hot chocolate, walks in the park as Henry played on the playground, and it’s all been… fun, comforting, how she always imagined life being. But she can’t let herself give into these feelings._

_He’s married. To Snow._

_She can’t do that to him. Or to Henry. She cares about them both too much to do that. If she’s honest with herself, she still cares about Snow too and wouldn’t want to hurt the girl, no matter their complicated history._

_“I know, David, but that doesn’t mean you have_ feelings _for me. We’re just... friends.”_

_“Best friends,” he corrects, looking pointedly at her. “But you’re so much more than that to me. Why can’t you believe that?”_

_She sets the paper down, roaming her eyes from the desk back to his slowly, pursing her lips in thought. “Because you are Snow’s true love.”_

_He sighs and shakes his head at that, always frustrated when she brings that point up. David’s always telling her that she_ was _his true love, but things have changed, they’re both different people now._

_“You don’t want to be with me,” she declares wearily as he moves closer to where she stands, guarded behind her desk. David never had a problem breaking through her defenses, though, and he steps into her personal space, placing his hand on her hip to turn her body so it’s facing his._

_“Yes, I do,” he whispers reverently, leaning in so close that she can feel his breath ghosting against her lips._

_“David,” Regina breathes out, closing her eyes, deciding how to stop him. They’ve kissed before, a few weeks ago when he first admitted his feelings for her. She’d been weak then, giving in and letting her body take what it wanted for the briefest of seconds. But she’d realized then what was happening, realized he was just missing the comfort of his newly awoken wife after the curse broke and didn’t really want_ her _. He just wanted_ someone _._

 _Before she can say anything else, he leans in fully, closing the small gap between their lips and crashing his onto hers. It steals her breath for a moment, her head foggy as his plump lips cover hers fully. His lips are soft, and they glide against hers with a seemingly practiced ease. She does love his kisses, has dreamt about them since that first one in fact. She sighs, giving in for the moment and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down closer to her body. Their chests are pressed together as closely as possible now, can feel the rise and fall of his stomach as he breathes into their embrace. She’s positive he can feel the moan that rumbles in her chest against his own. His tongue seeks entrance, but before she allows it, she pulls back, tracing the outline of her mouth with her finger tip.“We can’t. I want to, you know I do, but we_ can’t,” she vows, _looking up into his beautiful, pleading eyes,_ _“We will get Snow back somehow, and you’ll see that it’s her you want. Not me.”_

 _He sighs dejectedly, taking a step back and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “No matter what you think, my feelings for you_ are _real, Regina, and I’m not going anywhere. When you’re ready, I’m here.”_

He still looks hurt, and confused, and Regina knows none of this can be easy to hear. Snow goes on, telling him how he put himself under a sleeping curse to communicate with her, a last attempt Regina had thought of when Henry started having nightmares of a burning room.

It had worked, putting him under, he was able to communicate with Snow and help her and Emma get back through taking the magical wardrobe’s ashes to Lake Nostros.

“There were complications, of course,” Snow laughs, eyeing Regina who chuckles breathlessly back at her. “But we finally made it back.”

Complications, Regina snorts to herself. Her mother was a complication alright, but with the help of their new friends, Mulan and Aurora, Emma was able to defeat Regina’s mother before she joined them in the open portal. It’d been hard at first to hear, but in the end, Regina had come to terms with it. Her mother never loved her anyway, so it wasn’t as difficult to accept as she once thought it would be.

Regina tells him that once Snow and Emma returned, Snow tried waking him from his sleeping curse but it wouldn’t work. Fear had gripped her heart then, thinking he would never wake up. Upon Snow’s suggestion after seeing the way Regina was looking at David’s sleeping form, she had leaned in, placing her lips softly to his and the spell was broken. “True loves kiss,” Regina says with a sad shrug.

David looks at her then, longer than he has since he’s woken up, and she feels a stirring in her chest. Hope blossoming at the thought that maybe this little trip down memory lane has been enough to bring him back to her. His face crumples, however, and a scowl graces his lips. He turns his head back to Snow, asking her to continue.

“We tried to make it work for a few months when I got back, both of us trying to pretend the truth wasn’t staring at us clearly in the face,” Snow tells him, rubbing comforting circles along the back of his hand. “But after a while, we just realized we were different people. We both had feelings for other people.”

That had been challenging, knowing David loved Regina thanks to that kiss, but Regina swore she wanted he and Snow to try and get their love back, knowing how strong it had been before she cursed them all. Snow struggled too, though, knowing that she had found love in the Enchanted Forest with someone other than her husband; she was just too afraid to admit it when they first climbed out of the well.

David tilts his head in confusion, asking, “You were in love with someone else?”

Snow nods, a small smile on her face. It’s weird to talk about it now, after so long. They’ve all come to terms with it, all worked out the emotions plaguing them back then. Now, this is just how life is. And it’s wonderful, as perfect as anyone’s life can be. David and Snow are each married to different people and are happily living their lives. They’re happy. They’re all still family, one thing Regina thought she’d never have.

“Yes, David,” she grins, pulling out her phone to show David a family portrait stored in her camera roll. Snow, Mulan and their twin toddler boys all sit perched on a bench, each woman holding a three year old dressed in matching khakis and red sweater vests. “This is my wife, Mulan, and our boys, Eli and Eric.”

Snow and Mulan had become close friends in the Enchanted Forest, working together to help Aurora contact Henry and keep track of the time that passed as Emma climbed the beanstalk. Snow’s feelings were conflicting, she never thought she was attracted to women, but as the days passed, she found her heart growing more and more fond of the warrior woman and her strength.

Once back in Storybrooke, and trying to make things work with David, Snow finally realized that she couldn’t love David the way she was supposed to because she was in love with someone else. Luckily, Mulan and Aurora had accompanied she and Emma back to Maine, so the two were able to make their relationship work. The two women married eight months after returning from the other land and have never been happier.

“I can’t believe this,” David mumbles, lying his head back against his pillow. Snow and Regina exchange looks, Snow’s gaze turning sympathetic toward her stepmother.  “This isn’t right. This can’t be real.”

Amongst the sadness she feels at her husband not remembering his love for her, anger also bubbles in her gut. Yes, this is complicated, and yes, this is confusing, but damn it, she is his _wife_ . He loves _her_ . He _has_ to remember.

Huffing, Regina pushes a piece of hair back behind her ear, telling him sternly, “Yes, well, you better learn to accept it. If not for my sake then for—”

Before she can finish her sentence, though, the door to his hospital room flies open and a mound of long, raven hair comes bounding in with a squealed, “Daddy!” falling from her lips.

Regina smiles at the bundle of excitement bursting into the room with her big brother trailing behind. Regina looks to Snow, asking how the kids knew to come. “I called Emma on my way over.”

“Ah,” she says, smiling at Henry who stands behind Snow, then down to her daughter as she climbs into the tiny space on her lap.

Wrapping her arms around the little girl’s middle, she looks over toward David.

Stunned is the only word she can think of to describe how he looks right now. Shock has been evident on his face the last half hour as she and Snow have explained everything he’s missed, but this is more. This is a mixture of all emotions - shock, confusion, hurt, anger, sadness - she’s not quite sure what to make of this face he’s displaying.

“We…” David starts cautiously, blinking slowly in the little girl’s direction with a crease in his brow, “...have a daughter?”

“Yes,” Regina breathes, tears welling up in her eyes. She blinks them away quickly, sweeping the girl’s long hair behind her shoulder and giving her back a small rub. “This is Olivia.”

Olivia giggles then, looking between her parents in confusion. “Why are you acting like daddy doesn't know me, Mama?"

Regina smiles sadly down at the little girl, always so observant of the world around her. Regina scans her eyes over to David, then to Snow and Henry before looking back at her daughter.

“You know how daddy was in an accident, baby?” she asks cautiously, situating herself more comfortably in the chair. Olivia shifts on her lap, twisting to look at her mother more fully.

After her affirmed _mmhmm_ , Regina explains that, “Daddy’s brain is... confused right now.”

“Like when I don’t get how to add my numbers!?” Olivia asks excitedly, trying to make the connection to something she’s experienced in her six years of life.

Everyone, except David, who still looks at his daughter in shock, lets out a low chuckle as Regina says, “Yes, baby, just like that.”

She tells her that daddy’s brain is sick and he doesn’t remember _marrying mommy or having a baby_. That part had been hard to explain, a lump forming in her throat as her little girl’s eyes clouded with tears. “But he’s my daddy. He doesn’t remember me?”

Olivia looks over to David then, their matching blue eyes finding each others. Regina closes her own, leaning in to press a kiss to the back of Olivia’s head and breathes her in. She still smells like the baby shampoo she’d used on her this morning, and it brings a bit of comfort to her that not everything in her life has changed.

David goes to say something to the little girl, but Dr. Whale comes in, interrupting the tense moment.

“About time you got here,” Regina huffs, rolling her eyes in the doctor’s direction. “He’s been awake for almost an hour. Where have you been?”

“Apologies, _Your Majesty_ ,” he croons, a sly grin on his face. She’s always hated this man, ever since he tricked her into giving him a heart back in the Enchanted Forest when he pretended to try and bring Daniel back. “I was delivering a baby, you understand.”

Rolling her eyes once more, Regina leans forward, letting Olivia be closer to her father. The little girl’s hand rests next to his, her pinky toying with his larger digit while the doctor looks over David.

Whale monitors David’s vitals, checking his reflexes and shining a light into his eyes, then clicking the light shut, stuffing it into his lab jacket’s pocket. He asks David a few questions - his birthday, place of birth (which makes everyone roll their eyes), last memory he has - all while jotting his answers down in his notebook. “Well as I thought might happen,” he starts, stepping back from the bed and snapping his miniature notebook closed, “it appears David is suffering from retrograde amnesia.” He tells the room that he will need to run some tests, give him another scan to check him over, before he can be released.

“Now, my suggestion would be to live as normal of a life as possible until your memories returns,” he states, holding up a finger and pointing it in David’s direction, “ _If_ they return.”

“What do you mean _if_?” David asks, concern in his eyes.

Whale explains that there is no certain way of bringing back memories. Amnesia is very tricky, the brain reacts differently in each patient. Some patients lose a few weeks worth of memories, some a few months, and other years, as in David’s case. “Going about your average, daily routine is a good way to help trigger your brain’s activity into remembering, even if it’s just small flashes of a memory.”

David sighs, closing his eyes. He opens them, scanning the room at all the faces around him. His gaze seems to settle on Olivia’s, apparently having a hard time believing that he’s made a child with the _Evil Queen_. His pointer finger makes contact with the girl’s pinky, seemingly out of habit, and he looks up into her blue eyes as she moves her head from where she’s been staring at the TV in the room to look at her father. He gives her a small smile and she ducks her head down, tilting it to the side and giving him a tiny one back in return.

He looks up toward the doctor, thanking Whale, who makes his exit after telling Regina that if she needs anything, to call. It surprises her, even though he is technically their doctor, to see the man display any type of sympathy for her.

She thanks him and watches as he leaves the room. She looks over to where Henry is still standing behind Snow, asking where Emma is.

“She had to go back to work after dropping us off here,” he informs her, “Said she’ll check in later to see how everyone is doing.” Regina nods, asking if he wants to sleep in his room or at Snow’s tonight.

Her son hesitates, looking down at Snow and asking if her and Mulan would be okay with him staying there. “Of course!” she promises, telling him he can keep the boys occupied while she cooks dinner. Henry laughs lightly, nodding and checking once more with Regina that it’s alright. He doesn’t know how to act around David just yet, and understandably so, though he shouldn’t feel awkward. The only one David seems to hate at this point is her.

“Of course, sweetheart,” she says, smiling at him. It’s probably better for him to not be at home when David gets there; she doesn’t want him to see how much David truly hates her still in his mind.

“Can I cuddle with you, Daddy?” Olivia asks suddenly, twisting a finger around a lock of hair. “You give me cuddles every night. Even though it’s not night time, maybe it’ll help your brain not be so sick.”

Regina gives David a sad smile, hoping that despite how he feels about her, he’ll at least let their little girl in and not break her heart. She doesn’t think she could take it if David were to turn their daughter away.

“Oh,” David says, taken aback. He looks around the room between Snow and Regina before settling his eyes back on his daughter’s and nodding. “That’s… fine.”

Olivia smiles brightly, crawling onto the bed and snuggling into David’s side as Regina warns her not to be too rough since daddy’s ribs are bruised. The girl mumbles an, “Okay, Mama,” before laying her head gently onto David’s chest. She reaches up, stroking his scruffy beard and patting his cheek.

Regina drags her gaze from Olivia up to David and sees him smiling softly down at his little girl, which warms Regina’s heart. Maybe their daughter can help bring him back to them in her own little, innocent way.

They all sit there in silence for a few moments, Henry finally settling onto the arm of Snow’s chair. There isn’t much to say, she and Snow pretty much said it all earlier. They’d left out a few details of how her and David fell in love, but he’d gotten the big picture. He was terrified of that picture, but he had it now nonetheless.

After a few moments of listening to the monitors beep and Liv hum a quiet song to her daddy, Snow stands. “I better get home. Mulan will be home from work soon, and I need to pick the twins up from Granny.”

She claps Henry on the back, asking if he’s ready. The boy nods, standing and stretching his back.

Regina stands then, making her way over to hug Snow and Henry goodbye. “I’ll call you in the morning,” she tells Henry, saying they can maybe go to Granny’s to eat or he can come by for breakfast before school.

After kissing her son goodbye and hugging Snow, she turns back to face the bed. David and Olivia are still cuddled together, making her smile as she lays her hand over her stomach. David, who has been staring down at his daughter’s face finally looks up, meeting her gaze.

The moment doesn’t last long, however. His eyes practically bulge out of his skull as he looks from Regina’s face, down to her protruding belly that she’s gently resting a hand upon.

“You’re pregnant?”

{*********************}

_Thoughts? :)_


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Thank you SO much for all the reviews, follows and favorites… I honestly wasn’t expecting it; who knew so many people read EC? haha. I’m glad y’all enjoyed the first chapter so much! Hopefully this one lives up to the first lol…. Like always, please leave a review and let me know what you think so far! :)
> 
> {**************************************}

**Chapter Two**

To say David was shocked at her small, rounded belly was an understatement. They’d released him this morning instead of the day before like they originally thought would happen, Snow encouraging him to give his wife and daughter a chance. She was going home to her family, and he needed to do the same. It was tough, seeing the look of hurt cross his face at Snow’s words, but she knew this is what he had to do. He had to stick to his regular, daily routine. 

He’d walked around the mansion, a house he said he only remembered going into one time before when Regina had made him lasagna as a thank you for carrying her groceries. But there were changes he kept pointing out. The main one being the wall at the top of the hallway that, once bare, is now covered in family photos. Pictures of him and Regina with Henry and Olivia at all different stages of their baby girl’s life - baby pictures, him and Regina hugging Henry from either side at his twelfth birthday party, him holding Olivia up on his hip as she holds a  _ First Day of School! _ sign, but the hardest for him to swallow had been their wedding photo. He’s been staring at it for a good five minutes, eyebrows cinching then smoothing back out as he takes in every detail of the picture. Right there in the middle of all the family portraits is a large canvas housing a photograph of Regina in a beautiful, long, off-white mermaid shaped gown with a beaded bodice, and David in his black tux with his arms wrapped around her torso as they both smile happily into the camera as flower petals float around them, descending onto the grass beneath them.

“That was a great day,” Regina says, stepping up beside him. She’s been watching him from afar, not wanting to startle him or scare him away. She’s been trying to give him space since he got home, letting him take in his new surroundings. She knows this can’t be easy for him, so she’s trying to be patient. A trait she’s had to learn to develop over the years, one that her husband has played a large role in helping her with. 

David sighs, turning to face her. “Looks like it. We look… happy.”

Regina smiles wistfully at the portrait then back to him, saying, “We are,” before clearing her throat, turning away from the wall that houses so many of their memories. 

“Doctor Whale said you needed to stick to your routine…” she trails off as he turns away from the wall as well, facing her directly for the first time in several hours. “Do... you want to sleep in our bed tonight or the guest room?” 

This is so awkward, she thinks, having to ask if her husband wants to sleep in his own bed. She assumes he’ll want to be as far away from the  _ Evil _ Queen as possible, so she’s already put fresh sheets on the guest bed, but she figured she’d give it a shot and ask anyway.

“I think I’ll sleep in the guest room,” he says, taking the pillow she’s offering from her hand. It’s his pillow from their bed, the one he always claims he could never go a night without. He injured his neck two years ago in the line of duty, and this memory foam pillow was the only thing to help him sleep at night after the accident. Well, that, and her nightly massages to his neck and shoulders. 

Hurt flashes in her eyes at his words, not that it surprises her. This whole him not trusting her thing is going to take some getting used to.

He stumbles over his words, adding a, “Just while everything is so new. You understand?” 

His words seem almost... apologetic, like he feels bad for rejecting her suggestion. But that can’t be; he doesn’t like her. So she nods, looking down to the floor before bringing her chocolate brown eyes up to meet his blue ones. She rubs her stomach while saying, “Okay… I’ll grab your pajamas from our dresser while you shower.” She points toward the linen closet a few steps away, informing him, “Towels are in there.”

David nods, giving her a small smile. She starts to turn away, wanting to go into their bedroom, when she hears, “Are you okay?”

She looks back at him, taking the half step turn back in his direction, looking confused. He points to her belly, where she noticed her hand is still pressing down right where she knows her baby’s belly is, and she smiles. “Oh, yes… he just has the hiccups.” Before David can say anything else, Regina turns and walks away.

While he’s showering, Regina takes a moment to just sit in the silence of their room. Her thoughts have been swirling in her mind all day, louder than they normally are, and it feels nice to just… sit. Olivia is downstairs with Henry watching television, and she knows she needs to go down there and wash the dishes from dinner. Sure, she could use her magic, but she’s made it a habit not to use it unless absolutely necessary the last few years. She’d cooked her lasagna, David’s favorite, hoping it might bring some sort of comfort to him, and suffered through an awkward family dinner as David stared at his daughter in disbelief and Henry, bless him, tried his hardest to make small talk with his stepfather. He’d slept at Snow’s last night, thinking David would come home then and wanted to give his mom some space to deal with it, but he’d come home this morning, saying he was ready to help in whatever way possible to bring back his stepfather's memories. 

Sighing, she stands, taking his cotton, red and navy checkered pajama bottoms that he loves so much (they’d been a gift from Henry three Christmases ago, and David swears they’re the softest pajama pants he’s ever worn in his life) out of their gray, wooden dresser. She picks up a white t-shirt as well in case he wants something on his chest. He often sleeps without a shirt in the summer months, claiming the way she cuddles into him at night keeps him plenty warm. She won’t be there tonight, though, she reminds herself, so he’ll need a shirt. 

Walking into the guest room, she stops mid-step. David is standing there, plugging his cell phone into the charger, with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Her eyes trail down his muscular back, the back she loves to dig her nails into while he thrusts inside of her, to his ass covered in the terricloth of the towel, and down to his calves. David is a runner, gets up every morning and goes for a jog around town before his shift starts, so he’s got nice legs. 

Fuck. Her husband is so sexy. These pregnancy hormones are going to be the death of her while she can look but not touch. She imagines how his body feels beneath hers and suddenly feels a throb in between her legs. If she could just push him down into that mattress and — 

Her eyes snap back to his when he turns, clearing his throat to get her attention.

Shit.

“Oh, uh… here you go,” she stammers out at his confused expression. She sets his pajamas down on the bed, looking back at David, who looks rightfully awkward as he stands half naked in front of a woman he thought he hated until yesterday. 

Regina looks at him one more time, then to the bed, and back to him, giving him a small smile. Her shoulders fall, and she shrugs, turning to exit the room.

Once outside, she leans back, letting the back of her head rest against the closed door. Henry calls to her then from downstairs, and she opens her eyes, calling back to him that she is on her way. 

Later that night, once the kitchen has been cleaned and the children have gone to bed, Regina finds herself unable to sleep. It’s not late, everyone having gone to bed earlier than usual. It’s just around nine thirty, and tired as she may be, her mind won’t settle and the baby is restless, moving around and fluttering in her stomach, making it impossible to get anything, like laying still and sleeping, done. It’s a little early into a pregnancy to feel this much movement, but she knows it’s her baby boy’s magic connecting their emotions, trying to distract her from her racing thoughts. She’d felt the flutters of his magic for the first time the other week, surprising both she and David since Olivia’s abilities didn’t show until around a year ago. She appreciates it though, rubbing a soothing hand along her belly to let her son know she’s okay. Since sleep is evading her, Regina’s sitting in bed reading, back propped against the backboard and ankles crossed over one another. As she turns the page to the next chapter, a tiny knock sounds at her door. 

Slipping her glasses off, she looks toward the door as Olivia peeks through the small crack she’s created. Regina smiles, signaling for her daughter to come in. "Why are you out of bed, sweetheart?" 

“I couldn’t sleep,” Olivia says softly, burying her toes into the plush carpet of Regina’s bedroom rug. “Daddy didn't read to me or give me goodnight kisses and cuddles.” 

Regina sighs, reminding her that, “Daddy's brain is still sick.” She’d already done her bedtime story along with her girl’s nightly kisses and cuddles, but Olivia is a daddy’s girl through and through and can never sleep unless she gets them from him, too.

Liv climbs into Regina’s bed at those words, tears welling up in her little blue eyes. "I know," she mumbles, resting her head in the crook of Regina’s neck. She can feel a droplet fall onto her skin and Olivia’s hot breath breathing deeply against her.

Regina doesn't want her baby girl to cry, so she wraps her arms around her tiny frame, whispering, “Let's go tell Daddy he forgot.” 

Olivia’s eyes brighten at this, scooting back and hopping off the bed with a  _ yes! _ falling from her lips. Regina giggles, pushing back the covers and standing. Taking her daughter’s hand, they make their way down the hallway. It’s dark, only lit by the moonlight shining from the large windows, and quiet, though she suspects she can faintly hear Henry talking on the phone still, most likely to his girlfriend, Grace. 

Olivia knocks on the door to David’s temporary room, "Daddy?" 

She cracks the door open a bit, like she’d done with Regina’s door, her long hair falling into her face. "Yes, sweetheart?" 

The pet name makes Regina’s heart ache. David has always called their daughter that, has done so since the day she was born. It’s where Regina picked it up from. 

_ “Shhh,” David whispers, leaning down to place a tender kiss to the crown of their daughter’s head. “No need to cry, my little princess. Daddy’s here. We don’t want to wake up Mama.”  _

_ Regina giggles out a soft, “Too late,” opening her eyes to look over at them. David is standing there, holding their newest addition in his arms. She’s wrapped in a yellow blanket with tiny pink flowers on it. She’d just eaten, and burped, so David had claimed it was his turn to get time with their baby girl.  _

_ She sighs contently, leaning her head back onto the hospital pillow and closing her eyes as David begins to rock back and forth, humming a soft melody to their daughter.  _

_ Olivia’s whimpers tamper out, leading to deep, rhythmic breaths. “There you go, Livvie,” she hears David murmur to their baby. “God, I love you so much. I will always love you, sweetheart.”  _

_ Smiling, Regina opens her eyes. She goes to open her mouth and respond with an affirmative, “I love you, too,” when she looks and sees her husband, completely enthralled in their bundle of raven hair. Her smile widens, happy to let him shower love on another girl from now on.  _

“Well,” Olivia starts drawing out the L as she walks further into the room. She stands at the foot of the bed, peering back over her shoulder to Regina who stands in the doorway still. She looks back at her father, who’s looking curiously at her. “It’s okay that you forgot to read to me tonight ‘cause your brain is sick and all,” their little girl continues with a scrunch to her nose, “but can I still get my goodnight kisses and cuddles?”

Regina closes her eyes for a brief second, chuckling inside despite herself. This situation is messy, and surely confusing for their six year old, but she’s so cute. David would have to be heartless to not give in to that request.

David looks up to Regina with a sad smile, then back to Olivia, standing from the bed and placing the bookmark in his book. He was halfway through the novel last week, but she notes with a pain in her gut that he’s back at the beginning now, clearly not remembering anything he’d already read. "We can do better,” he vows, wrapping an arm around their daughter and lifting her up onto his hip. “We can do a story  _ and _ kisses and cuddles. How does that sound?" 

“Yeah!” Olivia exclaims, pumping her arm into the air as David walks toward the door. Regina steps out into the hallway, making room for the pair to exit the room. Before she can sneak away to her own bedroom, the sight of her husband doing their usual nightly routine too much for her to take, Olivia lets out an all too innocent, “Come on, Mama!”

David glances her way, and she looks up to him, seeking silent confirmation that he’s alright with her coming. He nods, and she smiles, rubbing a hand along her belly where their newest little one continues to tumble around, obviously wanting to be a part of this night one way or another.

{*************************}

Olivia points him in the direction of her bedroom. It’s at the end of the hallway, decorated in aqua, gray and coral. She chatters to him on their way into the room that it’s a mermaid room, complete with pillows in the shape of mermaids and a mermaid lamp so she doesn’t get scared of the dark. 

He smiles, nodding and  _ ooh _ -ing at all the aquatic themed decor she points out, telling her it all looks wonderful. She really is an adorable little girl. She looks just like Regina, save for those piercing blue eyes that are all his. It’s still so strange for him to think that he and Regina are married with a kid… and one on the way. But at least their daughter is kind, precious, and oh so patient with him and all the things he’s forgotten. He wonders what their next child will be like, who he’ll look like...

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he settles the little girl onto her mattress. She buries herself under the covers, pulling the gray sheet up to her chin and smiling up at him. He doesn’t know what to do. Hasn’t a clue as to what their routine is. His head hurts; attempting to remember all the little things he’s forgotten over the last twenty-four hours has been difficult. He’s trying not to get frustrated, doesn’t want to take it out on Regina when she’s so clearly just wanting to help. She’s being patient with him, which is odd to him. The Evil Queen isn’t patient with anyone, let alone Prince Charming. But she seems to have honestly changed. She’s softer, gentler in her movements and words, like she’s afraid to scare him. Which, to be fair, might be how she’s feeling. He should probably talk to her instead of wandering around the house staring at everything like a zombie.

“So what now?” he asks, looking from Olivia up to Regina. She’s making her way inside the room, settling onto the foot of the bed. She reaches up, giving their daughter’s toes a little squeeze through the blanket. Her nose scrunches and she smiles over at Olivia, reminding her that she has to  _ tell Daddy what to do next. _

Olivia reaches over to her aqua painted nightstand, grabbing the book that rests beside the coral mermaid lamp. “You read this to me, Daddy!” the little girl giggles, snuggling deeper into her covers.

David smiles, hesitantly taking the book from her hands. “Alright,” he says, nodding, “Let’s see.” He opens the book to the first page, seeing an illustration of a little girl with bright, curly hair dressed as a mermaid. He’s sensing a theme with his little girl; clearly she has an affinity for the sea creatures. 

He clears his throat, beginning to read about a school ballet coming up for this character, this Fancy Nancy, and how she gets to be a mermaid in the performance. He looks over to Regina, wanting to make sure he was on the right track, and noticed her eyes are closed, rubbing her stomach like she’d been doing earlier. 

He should ask her more about the baby. He knows it’s a boy, but hasn’t asked for any further information. He grimaces. He should probably stop being such an ass, she’s clearly not the woman he remembers anymore. David should give her a chance, at least be friendly to her, until his memories (hopefully) return. 

He reads a few more pages, making sure to change his voice for each character. For Fancy Nancy, he raises his voice into a posh, shrill accent, which makes Olivia giggle and cover her mouth. For the teacher, he softens his voice, making it gentler, like how his mother’s voice always sounded. There’s a little boy in the play, so David tries to deepen his voice, making it more gravely. 

Regina chuckles then, making eye contact with him. He notices her eyes are glassy and her brow is furrowed as she tells him solemnly, “You used to always do voices when you’d read to her.”

He smiles sadly over at her, knowing this can’t be easy. He’s not sure if he’s remembering or if the voices are just out a habit, which he tells Regina when she asks in a hopeful voice as she sits up a bit straighter,  _ Did you remember something? _ He looks down to Olivia and tickles her stomach, saying, “Well, I hope I’m doing the right voices!”

Olivia squirms in her bed, laughing and squealing out a  _ No! The voices are all wrong _ , but she quickly assures her father that she likes these voices, too. He laughs, enjoying this moment. He apologizes that he can’t remember the voices he usually uses but continues to read anyway. 

After a while, Olivia goes quiet, her breathing calming down as she sinks further into her mattress, listening to her father read. He looks to Regina, quietly asking if the baby is still moving. 

“No,” she breathes, a small smile forming on her lips. “I think your voice calmed him down finally.” She tells him it’s just the baby using his magic, trying to let her know he’s there for her in his own tiny little way, which causes David to smile softly. He should have known that his children would have magical talents, even Emma does, but the thought of their son trying to comfort her with his magic makes him feel better. He knows this isn’t easy for Regina, and he’s glad their child can be there for her while he can’t, while he isn’t quite ready yet. He’s getting there, though, seeing Regina in their home, where she feels most comfortable to be herself, has made him see her in a new light today.

She closes her eyes then and leans her head back, scratching at a particular spot repeatedly with a slight pout to her lips, claiming her stretching skin itches. David smiles at her, even though she can’t see him. He likes her like this, so completely different from the woman he’s always known. 

“How far along are you?”

She opens her eyes, looking at him in surprise. Her hand stops moving over her belly as she brings it up to push her hair behind her shoulder. “I’m five months right now.”

He nods, saying he’ll be glad to go to the next appointment with her, “even if I don’t remember making it, it’s clearly mine.”

She smiles, nodding and saying she would love for him to. She stands then, saying that storytime is over. Regina walks to Olivia, slowly lowering herself onto the other side of their daughter so she can reach her. She pulls the little girl to her side, cuddling her closely, then places five quick pecks to the top of her head.

Olivia smiles brightly, wrapping her arms around her mother’s stomach and placing a tiny kiss to her small, protruding belly, then her cheek, whispering an  _ I love you, Mama _ in the space between them.

Olivia turns her head, looking to David. He looks at his daughter, then up to Regina, silently asking what he is supposed to do. “Kisses and cuddles, Daddy!”

Regina mouths  _ do the same thing _ to him, and he lifts his chin in understanding. He hesitantly pulls Olivia to his side, cuddling her close. Her little arms wrap around his torso and she gives him a tight squeeze. It hurts his ribs, and he lets out a little hiss of pain, causing her to loosen her grip when Regina mildly scolds her, reminding the girl that  _ Daddy’s ribs are still bruised. _

“Oops,” she mumbles with widened eyes, bringing a hand to cover her mouth, “Sorry!”

He promises his little girl that it’s okay and leans in, pressing five quick pecks to the top of her head. She giggles, placing a kiss to each of his cheeks and whispering her  _ I love you _ to him. 

David smiles, wanting desperately to vow his love back to this little girl, but doesn’t want to speak empty words. He knows, can see it in their pictures and interactions, that he loves his daughter, loves his whole family, but he just isn’t ready to say those words as much as it pains him. Instead, he presses another kiss to the top of her head, breathing in her baby shampoo smell. 

He stands, making his way to the door after saying, “Goodnight, Olivia. Sleep well.”

Regina stands too, joining him in the doorway after giving Olivia another goodnight kiss and tucking the covers around her little body. 

{***************************}

Regina closes the bedroom door behind her gently, turning to look at David. She knows that must’ve been hard, being expected to do so much when he doesn’t remember any routines he shares with his daughter. 

“You did great,” she promises softly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping children in the house. They walk down the hallway, closer to their bedrooms as David nods, saying it was hard, but he figured out cuddles and kisses fairly quickly. 

She smiles, reaching up to wipe the silent tears that have fallen away from her cheeks. She doesn’t want him to see her like this, doesn’t want him to feel bad that every confused look he gives her breaks her heart a little bit each time. She knows he can’t help it, none of this is his fault. He’s trying to figure out this life he now has, and it’s only been two days. He’ll pick up on it quicker as the days go by. She’s not scared to be vulnerable in front of David, he’s the only one who she’s ever been able to be herself around. But this isn’t  _ her _ David. It is, but it isn’t. She doesn’t know how to act. She can’t treat him like how she’s used to, but she doesn’t want to treat him differently and push him away. She wants, more than anything, for him to come back to her.

David grabs her wrist, making her stop her descent down the hallway as he comes to stand in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she lies, trying to play it off with a light laugh. “It’s just these damn pregnancy hormones.” He smiles down at her, letting her wrist go so she can wipe another tear away. “I was never this hormonal with Olivia,” she giggles wetly, breathing in and out deeply, “You were just making fun of me last week for crying at a laundry detergent commercial.”

He chuckles, bringing his arms up to wrap her in a hug. She freezes for a second, not sure what to make of this new contact. This is the closest he’s been to her since he woke up and her body is fighting every natural urge to melt into his embrace and cry. She sighs, letting her shoulder sag a bit, letting her body relax into his warm chest for the briefest of seconds as another tear slips free, landing on his shirt. God, she misses him. 

“It’s okay to have emotions,” he whispers into the top of her head. 

“I’m the  _ Evil _ Queen,” she mutters ruefully, pulling her head back to look at him more fully. “I’m not supposed to cry.”

David takes a small step back, arms still circled around her waist and looks down into her misty brown eyes, saying, "You're not evil. I can see that now, and I was wrong to say it earlier. I'm sorry, Regina." 

Tears pool in her eyes again as she gazes up into his. She squeezes his hand that she’s somehow found herself holding and assures him it’s okay, tells him he was confused and that, “things will get better.”

He nods sadly, swinging their connected hand slightly between their bodies. “I should get to bed,” she utters sadly, unclasping their hand, the feel of it too familiar and too overwhelming for her right now, “Goodnight, David.”

She closes her bedroom door after he whispers a  _ goodnight _ back to her and makes his way to the guest room. Regina climbs in bed, turning off the bedside lamp and burying her face into her pillow. Pain is all she feels in her chest. She wants her husband back, her partner, her best friend. It’s been less than a week since his accident, and he’s only been awake for two days, but this distance between them is crushing her. She finally lets all the tears fall that she’s been holding in all night. Thoughts of their awkwardly silent family dinner, the way David only looks at Henry with familiarity, how he’d bonded with Olivia so seamlessly at bedtime, and how he’d muttered  _ you’re not evil _ into her hair. It’s all too much. She just wants him back - hopes above all hope that he will come back to her eventually. She falls asleep that night crying over another love lost to her. 

 

{******************************}

 

_ Thoughts? :) _


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks SO much for all the support and reviews on this story so far - you guys are awesome! Your reviews are honestly what motivated me to write another chapter haha. I have a lot of angst and cute moments planned, so I hope y’all stick around and finish this journey with me. Thanks again, and like always, please leave a review and let me know what you thought! :)
> 
> {****************************}

**Chapter Three:**

_ “She said ‘dada’, Regina,” David laughs, crawling into bed. He wraps his arm around his wife as she snuggles into his chest. “I’m so glad her first word was my name.” _

_ “Hey!” Regina laughs out indignantly, pushing on his chest to sit up. She looks down at him, a piece of hair falling into her face. “You know damn well she said ‘mama’ last week!” _

_ He pushes that piece of hair behind her ear, cupping the back of her head softly. “I don’t seem to recall that.” _

_ Regina laughs, eyes widening. “David!”  _

_ He laughs then, pulling her down to him, their lips meeting in a sweet embrace. He peeks his tongue out, tracing her lips as he rolls her body so her back is against the mattress. He’s hovering above her, elbows bent on either side of her head as he stares down into those expressive, brown eyes he loves so much. He leans up, bringing a hand to cup her breast. She sighs contentedly, smiling coyly up at him. “You can only have what you so clearly want,” she glances down to where his thumb is caressing her nipple, then scans her eyes back to his, “if you admit she said my name first.” _

_ He chuckles darkly, skimming his hand down from her breast to her torso, reaching down to grab the end of her red tank top. He slowly raises it up, kissing a trail up her stomach. “Fine,” he breathes, placing a kiss to her stomach, “She said,” a kiss in between her breast, “your name,” a peck to her exposed nipple, swirling his tongue around it, “first,” then moving to give the other nipple the same attention.  _

_ “Good,” she breathes out a moan, running her hands through his hair and down his back, lightly scratching her way down to grab his ass. “Because she did." _

_ David shakes his head, laughing at the stubbornness of his wife, before capturing her lips again as his hand trails down her body, slipping beneath the hem of her shorts.  _

His eyes fly open, sitting up with a gasp. David looks around groggily, noticing he’s been napping in the living room. He’s been home from the hospital for a week, but he is still exhausted halfway through the day. Trying to remember the last seven years has taken a bigger toll on him mentally than he imagined. 

Yawning, he sits up, stretching his back, a few vertebrae popping as he does. He tilts his head when he hears soft giggles coming from down the hall, and he smiles, standing and making his way into the kitchen.

He hovers in the doorway, leaning his shoulder against the door jamb, watching as Regina chuckles out a  _ shhh _ when Olivia giggles too loudly at the feel of the pizza dough beneath her fingers. They’re standing there, matching apple covered aprons on, with flour on their hands as they knead the dough onto the ceramic pizza stones. “We don’t want to wake up daddy,” she tells their daughter. 

Olivia reaches up, covering her mouth with a sticky hand, eyes widening and muttering an adorable  _ Oops, sorry, Mama _ through her quieted laughter. 

“That’s alright,” he says with a broad smile, making himself known as he walks further into the kitchen. “Daddy’s already awake.”

“Daddy!” Olivia squeals, holding up her chubby, dough covered hands. “We’re makin’ pizza for dinner!”

David laughs, walking to the other side of the kitchen island where Regina stands next to Olivia on her yellow step stool. He places his hand on Regina’s lower back, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. Regina’s back stiffens momentarily, clearly surprised by the contact he’d just placed upon her. He’s surprised himself, not exactly sure what came over him, but it had just felt natural, felt like he needed to do it. 

He takes a step over, leaning down to place a kiss to Olivia’s cheek, making a  _ nom nom nom _ sound as he pretends to gobble her cheek into his mouth, causing her to shriek in laughter, shrugging her shoulder up to ward off his attack. David smiles, standing up and making his way to the other side of the island. He perches onto the barstool, glancing back at Regina who is still frozen, a piece of dough hanging off her finger as she watches David’s movements. 

He smiles at her, breaking her concentration with a  _ that was a good nap _ . She shakes her head as if coming out of a daze, smiling back softly, and pressing her fingers back into the dough. 

“Hey, Mom,” Henry says, walking in. “Pizza?”

Regina smiles at her son, nodding and saying they’ll save him a few pieces. He can have them tomorrow for lunch if he wants.

“Where are you going?” David asks, looking over to his stepson as he sits down on the stool next to him.

Henry shrugs, looking sheepishly down at his cell phone. “I’m taking Violet to dinner tonight.”

David smiles, raising his eyebrows. “A date, huh?” he taunts, pressing his shoulder into Henry’s as he ribs him over his night out. 

The teenager rolls his eyes but smiles as he pushes his shoulder back on him, saying it’s not a big deal. David asks Henry about Violet, wanting to know more about this girl. He’s protective of Henry, always had been, he does remember that. But having him here as not only his grandson, but also now his stepson, he wants to be even more involved with his life. 

He hates that he’s missed so much - hasn’t missed it really, just doesn’t remember any of it happening. Henry tells him that he met Violet last year, she’s the same age as him, and she’s  _ really pretty and nice _ ! They’ve been dating for almost a year now, and, “Henry loooooves her,” Olivia adds, giggling as she watches her mother grab the bags of cheese from the refrigerator gingerly, trying her best not to leave a doughy handprint on the door handle. 

Henry rolls his eyes at his sister with a smirk on his face. He looks to his mom, still distracted with her task, then over the David and shrugs nonchalantly as if to say  _ well, yeah _ . 

David smirks, nodding his head and clapping him on the back. Henry stands, clearing his throat. “I gotta get going, Mom,” he tells her, making his way around the counter to kiss her on the cheek, avoiding her messy hands. 

He leans down, saying, “Bye, baby!” to her belly before walking behind Olivia and ruffling her ponytail. The little girl huffs at him, rolling her eyes in a way that David can only imagine she gets from her mother - he remembers that look from decades ago, given to him in a much more terrifying manner. Olivia whines out Henry’s name as the boy laughs, patting David on the back and telling him bye. 

“Make sure you’re home by eleven,” Regina reminds him sternly, looking up from her the pizza to make sure Henry knows she means business, causing David to smirk. 

He assures her he will as he runs from the kitchen, grabbing his car keys and slamming the front door.

Regina rolls her eyes good naturedly at the excited slam of the door as she turns to wash her and Olivia’s hands off. She has their daughter hoisted on her hip so she doesn’t need to slide her stool over to the sink, and she smiles over the little girl’s head to David, telling him how much Henry really does like Violet. She finishes rinsing off Olivia’s hands, handing her a towel to dry them off with as she places her down on the ground and says, “She’s a nice girl, you’ll like her.”

David stands, walking to where his girls are and swings Olivia into the air like an airplane, causing her to screech in laughter before placing her back on the step stool at the island, saying he’s positive he will like Violet just as much as the rest of them seem to.  

He stands behind Olivia, watching as Regina spreads the sauce onto the two, round pieces of dough they’ve patted out. Olivia crouches down, watching in complete concentration at the action, tongue peeking out between her teeth much like David does when he focuses on a job. “Is it time for the cheese, Mama?!” she asks excitedly, bouncing on the stool.

She looks over her shoulder at him, explaining that mama gets to do the sauce, but  _ I get to pour the cheese on them! _

“I bet you do an excellent job at it too, Sweetheart,” he tells her, moving to the opposite side of Regina, beyond positive that this assignment will involve cheese going everywhere, so he’s out of cheese flying territory. 

Regina hands Olivia a bag of mozzarella, reminding her not to dump the entire bag in the middle of the sauce this time. “Just sprinkle it all over.”

Olivia nods, chewing on her lips in concentration this time, just like he’s noticed Regina does. He smiles at the similarities she seems to possess from both of them, wondering what qualities they’ll pass on to the son inside Regina’s stomach. David breathes a laugh through his nose at the scene before him, giving Regina’s belly a light rub before bending his elbows to rest on the island’s countertop. He places his chin in the palm of both hands and watches his little girl work. 

Regina rubs her belly, looking down at David. He glances over at her to smile in silent communication about how adorable Olivia is but notices her far off look and her hand on her stomach. 

“I-I’m sorry,” he mumbles, realizing too late how he’d touched her belly out of some kind of habit, not asking permission first. “I should have asked,” he says, tilting his head in the direction of her stomach.

Regina shakes her head, saying, “No, no, it’s fine.” She chuckles briefly, pushing her hair out of her face. “You’re the only one in this town who doesn’t need to ask permission.”

He laughs lightly, nodding his head in thanks. She tells him how people seem to always feel the need to touch her stomach as soon as the pregnancy starts to show. “They seem to forget who I am,” she says threateningly under her breath, narrowing her eyes in jest. 

He smiles at her as he hears Olivia say, “I wanna feel the baby!” as she finishes the cheese on the second pizza. Regina smiles, telling her once her hands are clean again, she can. 

Olivia nods, her raven hair bouncing as she hops down from her step stool. She pushes the stool over the sink, jumping back up on it to turn on at the kitchen sink. 

Regina grabs one pizza, opening the oven door to slide it in. David grabs the other, walking it over to the oven to hand to her. “Thank you,” she says, taking the round tray from his hands. 

He sets the timer on the oven for her while she helps Olivia get all the soap off of her hands. Once they’re all clean, the three of them make their way into the living room, Olivia excitedly exclaiming that she’s ready to feel the baby now.

David laughs, thinking to himself how nice it’s been lately, getting to know his family and getting to know his wife all over again. 

{******************************}

“Remember, the baby might not be kicking right now,” Regina reminds Olivia as she settles onto the couch. 

David gently places a pillow behind her back, and she thanks him, smiling in his direction. Olivia climbs up into his lap, swinging her legs over and tucking her toes into the side of the couch cushion. 

“I knowwwww,” Olivia sighs exasperatedly, clearly remembering all the other times her mother has had this conversation with her. Her daughter has loved to touch her belly and feel the baby now that he’s started moving around these last few weeks, but Olivia had gotten frustrated a few days ago when the baby wouldn’t move. She had leaned down, shouting  _ baby! Wake up! _ to which Regina had to explain that the baby needed sleep just like they do, and they shouldn’t wake him up. 

Regina shakes her head with a smile, leaning back a touch and taking Olivia’s hand in hers. She places it on her stomach, moving it around until she knows Olivia can feel a hard lump under her fingers. Olivia squints at the belly, muttering  _ please just kick for me, baby! _ under her breath. 

Regina looks over her daughter’s head to David. He’s smiling down lovingly at their little girl, and it makes her smile. He may not remember Olivia, but he sure didn’t need much time to fall in love with her again. 

“A kick!” Olivia squeals through her giggles, pulling Regina from her thoughts. “I felt a kick!”

Olivia laughs, clapping her hands and bouncing on David’s lap before leaning over, her chest pressed against her bent up legs to feel Regina’s stomach again. After a few beats of silence, Olivia gasps, “That one felt different, Mama! It felt like how my magic feels.”

Regina nods, reminding Olivia that the baby has magic, too. Olivia is confused since her magic didn’t appear until later in her life, but Regina explains that every magic practitioner is different. Their powers all come at different times. 

Olivia nods in understanding, looking over her shoulder at David. “Do you wanna see  _ my _ magic, Daddy?!”

Regina looks at him nervously; he was never scared of Olivia’s magic before, but she’s concerned with how he’ll react now that he doesn’t have seven years worth of her own magic to remember. The last time he saw magic, it was a giant, purple cloud rolling over Storybrooke to bring back their memories, and before that, it was the same cloud shattering their world in the Enchanted Forest. 

“Of course, Sweetheart,” David tells her with a smile on his face, running his fingers through his daughter’s long, dark hair now that Regina has taken down the little girl’s ponytail. 

Olivia lights up, sliding off of his lap and onto Regina’s, careful not to sit on the baby bump. She pats Regina’s stomach sweetly before outstretching her own little hand. “Okay, Daddy, watch!”

A plume of light pink magic swirls around Olivia’s hand before clearing to reveal her favorite stuffed elephant from upstairs. The little girl giggles happily, hugging her elephant to her chest. 

“That’s amazing!” David exclaims, reaching over the run his hand over the elephant. He gives Olivia’s hand a little squeeze before telling her how proud he is of her. 

Regina smiles brightly at him, glad that he’s comfortable around his daughter’s magic.

Olivia giggles some more, hugging her toy and then making it disappear again. She looks at Regina, then back to David, opening her hand and making her mermaid doll appear in her hands. “I wanted this one instead,” she says with a shrug.

They all laugh, Regina leaning in the press a kiss to Olivia’s cheek as she revels in this moment. It feels nice, having her husband back, even though she knows he doesn’t remember anything, it’s just nice to have him feeling more comfortable around them then he was a week ago. She’s seen flashes of the old David throughout the week - subtle touches, like the one earlier in the kitchen, or light, flirtatious words he’d let slip out unintentionally. She hadn’t complained, it felt nice to have her husband showing a little bit of interest, no matter how confusing it has been for her. They were brief moments, almost like when they were first dating (sort of - she denied it so much that she can’t even call it dating, despite David’s protests that she was just stubborn) and trying to hide it from Henry.

_ “Almost there!” Henry shouts from where he sits on the carpet, back pressed against the coffee table. He tilts his body to the left, mimicking the direction his car goes on the screen. He races ahead of David’s car, crying out in victory, knowing he’s about to win the whole race. _

_ Regina smirks over at David who sits next to her on the couch. His feet are outstretched onto the coffee table, but his body shifts left and right with each turn of his vehicle on screen as well. Regina is curled up beside him, a respectable distance between their bodies so her son doesn’t think anything of it, not that she should sit closer. He’s married - and sure, his wife and daughter might not ever make it back, they’ve already tried so many ways to bring them back - but he keeps telling her he has real feelings for her, and her resolve to not give in is weakening. For now, though, she’s under a blanket, enjoying the nice, leisurely evening they’ve been awarded tonight.  _

_ Things have been crazy with trying to find a way to bring Snow and Emma back, they’ve been gone for an entire year, and nothing seems to be working. She’s tried making potions to help them communicate somehow, she’s attempted to get her magic mirror to show her where they are, but nothing has worked. David is confident she’ll figure out a way to bring his family back, but he isn’t giving up on them as a couple or on his feelings for her either. He whispers in her ear every chance he gets how beautiful she looks or how much he wants to be with her, and she always rolls her eyes. They’ve shared a few kisses, some very, truly amazing, passionate kisses - ones that she can’t stop thinking about when she’s alone at night - but she’s trying her hardest to not let it happen again, even though she knows it will no matter how much she fights it. They’re ‘dating,’ she supposes, at least in secret, so secret that she’s not even completely positive that they are. They spend time together as much as any other couple would, doing everything together except actually sleeping with one another. The feelings are there, but she won’t allow herself to call it a relationship, still denying him every chance she can get. It’s complicated to say the least, but she knows deep down that no real relationship can begin until he has Snow back and has a chance to work through those emotions.  _

_ She wants David to choose her, of course, she has feelings for him, deep feelings, but she doesn’t want to be chosen out of convenience, out of the fact that his real true love is never coming back (even though he swears to her every time she says this that he isn’t - that he truly cares for her and wants them to be together). _

_ Looking over at him now, she isn’t sure why she’s denying herself. She should just give in and let herself enjoy his company, but she knows that’s wrong. _

_ But she was never very good at doing the right thing. _

_ Her hand slides out from under the blanket, slowly inching its way to his jean clad leg. She places it there, causing him to jump in surprise. She smirks, glancing over to Henry to make sure he’s still enthralled in their game. David looks between the screen and Regina quickly, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.  _

_ He had told her the other afternoon in her office (after kissing her and her once again reminding him that he was just lonely) that when she was ready, he was there. She’s ready, but she isn’t. She’s torn. She has feelings for her best friend, possibly loves him even, but she can’t help the guilt that comes with that and the fear that if she lets herself have this, he’ll go running back to his wife the moment they figure out how to get her back.  _

_ She scoots closer to him, resting her chin on his broad shoulder so she can gaze at him while he plays the game and whispers into his ear. “I’m conflicted.” _

_ He looks down at her, kissing the top of her head and whispering back, “I know. But I told you the other day how I feel. And those feelings aren’t changing no matter who does or doesn’t come back to Storybrooke.” _

_ She sighs, kissing his ear, which makes him shudder and her smirk. She should just give in, let him take her upstairs once Henry is asleep and have his way with her finally, she should. But she can’t. For now, though, she wants his kisses. She shouldn’t, but she does. And after the night they’ve had of eating lasagna together, watching movies and playing video games in their bubble of safety, she lets herself forget about the outside world and all the problems it holds for a little while. _

_ David looks over at her, smiling sympathetically. She knows he truly cares about her, possibly loves her like he implied in her office a few days ago, but she isn’t ready to fully give in.  _

_ Glancing over David’s outstretched legs to peer at Henry on the floor, she sees that her son is still completely engrossed in the game. Regina looks back at David, cupping his scruff covered jaw and bringing his face down and over to meet hers. She slides her lips over his slowly, savoring this moment, knowing she probably won’t let them do this for a while - or ever again once his family returns.  _

_ He moans softly, a surprised little  _ mmph! _ , just loud enough for her to hear over the roar of the video game, and she smiles into their kiss. She tears up, knowing she won’t ever have this for good. This is Snow's husband; she’ll be the one to kiss him goodnight from now on. Regina pulls back, sniffling quietly. David cups her cheek, wiping under her eye and pecking her lips one more time.  _

_ “Haha!” Henry exclaims, popping up onto his knees. “You crashed your car, David! I won!” _

_ She scoots back over before Henry turns around, giving David a sad smile. He’d been distracted by her kiss and stopped caring about the game, but he doesn’t seem to mind. _

_ He looks at her, then over to Henry and laughs, saying, “You’re right! I must’ve gotten distracted.” _

The timer on the stove goes off, and they make their way to the kitchen. David cuts the pizzas, fixing everyone’s plates while Regina grabs a salad from the refrigerator, and Olivia carries a carton of fruit for them. Olivia magics her doll back onto the living room couch, claiming she doesn’t want to get pizza sauce all over it, but she wants to cuddle with her after dinner. 

They eat and laugh, enjoying the antics of their six year old as she animatedly tells them all about school this past week and how two little boys got in a fight and she had to try  _ really, really hard not to use my magic to break them up _ . She claims she ran and got a teacher because she remembered that Regina has told her magic is not to be used outside the house unless she’s given permission (the easiest rule she and David could come up with last year to prevent their daughter from poofing toys to her at school or magicing kids off the swings when she wanted a turn - the reason they’d had to set up that rule in the first place).

It’s nice sometimes to just have moments with her little girl. Regina always loves when David takes her on father-daughter dates so that she can spend time with Henry alone, but he’s growing up, almost an adult now, and he doesn’t spend as much time at home anymore. These small moments where she can just enjoy her little girl are wonderful, though, and she’s once again thankful that David survived so that he’s able to enjoy them too. 

After dinner, she settles Olivia in the living room, wrapping her up in a blanket with her mermaid doll and turning on  _ The Little Mermaid _ (Olivia’s favorite, of course). She kisses her daughter on the top of the head, saying she’s going to go help daddy clean up the kitchen and then they’ll come finish the movie with her. 

She walks into the kitchen, watching David for a silent moment. He’s rinsing the dishes off before placing them in the dishwasher. It’s nice, domestic, like how it used to be. The main lights are off, just the light above the sink and the island are on, casting a warm glow around the room. 

“Dinner was delicious,” he says as she comes to stand next to him at the sink. She looks over, realizing he put the two, small pizza stones in the dishwasher. She walks over, taking them out and telling him it’s better for the stone to just be hand washed. 

He smiles timidly, apologizing. “Don’t apologize,” she says, touching her hip to his to slide him out of the way. “You were helping.”

David slides over, switching places with her as she runs the soapy sponge over the round surface. 

“Olivia’s magic is incredible,” he says, taking the stone from her to dry it off. 

She nods, telling him again how they weren’t sure she was going to have magic until one day about a year ago when Olivia said she’d been moving objects around her bedroom with just her mind. “How did we react?” David asks, placing the stone in the cabinet Regina pointed out to him. 

She chuckles, saying he had freaked out, not because he was scared of her magic, but because, “You were worried she was going to hurt herself since she’d never been trained.”

David smiles, saying that sounds like him. “You’ve been training her, I assume?” he asks, and she nods, telling him as soon as Olivia admitted she could move things telepathically, she’d started teaching her how to control her magic safely. 

He takes the next stone from her hand, drying it and placing it into the cabinet. He sighs then, leaning his back against the sink and looking over at her. She leans into the corner of the countertops, perching one hand on the counter and the other on her belly.  

He glances up at the microwave, noting that it’s only 8:30. “You going to stay up until Henry gets home?” he asks with a grin. She’s been falling asleep well before eleven each night, claiming the baby was making her tired the further into the pregnancy she got.

She twists her lips up, trying to hide her smirk. “Shut up,” she laughs, swatting at him with the dish towel that rests beside her. “And yes, I am.”

“Good,” he says with a grin. “I’ll stay up with you. We can watch a movie or something.”

She smiles and nods, telling him that sounds like a great idea.

He moves a touch closer to her at that, gaining her attention. “Hey, Regina?” he asks. She looks up at him curiously, suddenly feeling nervous with how close he’s standing, not that she should be. “What was Olivia’s first word?”

Her eyebrows scrunch together momentarily, thrown by his question. “Uh, ‘mama’,” she says with an amused smirk and a narrowed eye. “Why?”

“Just wondering,” he shrugs, telling her how he’d dreamt about it during his nap earlier. He tells her he wasn’t sure if it was a memory or just a dream his mind had made up. Regina tries not to get too excited, knowing that random moments flashing back to him are a good sign, but she doesn’t want to get her hopes up. She thinks back to when Olivia had said ‘dada’, and the debate that had ensued later that first night - she remembers the bare flesh and tongue filled kisses placed not only to her mouth but to her breasts and clit, and she can feel her skin heat all over at the memory. She wonders if David had dreamt of that exact same moment or another one. There’d been so many times he’d jokingly tried to convince her that their daughter’s first word had been ‘dada’ instead of ‘mama’.

She bites back another smile, saying, “Well if I remember correctly, I was right and you were wrong... and you ended up agreeing with me.”

“Yeah,” David laughs awkwardly, his skin flushing like it does when he’s embarrassed. “But you seemed to have a bit of an advantage over me at the time.”

She chuckles and shakes her head, the argument never changing. “True,” she says, not wanting to bring attention to the moment he clearly remembers if the flustered bob of his throat is anything to go by. “But I was still first.”

He laughs, conceding and telling her she’s right before stepping back to give them some distance, saying, “Come on, let’s go finish  _ The Little Mermaid _ with her.”

Regina smiles softly to herself, following him out of the kitchen.

{*******************************}

A little while later, Regina walks into their living room after putting Olivia to bed, clutching a photo album to her chest. David had helped with nighttime kisses and cuddles, a routine Olivia absolutely will not let him get out of now, but he’d left the girls upstairs to have a moment to themselves while he came back downstairs to pick a movie for him and Regina to watch while waiting on Henry to get home.

“Would you like to see some more pictures from our wedding?” she asks hesitantly, stepping further into the room. She’s changed into her longue clothes - her black rimmed glasses, a pair of maroon yoga pants and one of his black, cotton t-shirts (she claims they’re the comfiest ones in the house now with her pregnant belly getting bigger), and he can’t help but think about how adorable she looks dressed down like this. It’s so different from the power suits and dresses she still wears to work, despite her growing stomach, although he won’t complain about those - memories or no memories, his wife is sexy as hell in those outfits. “Dr. Whale did say looking at old photographs might help jog your memory.”

“Sure,” he nods, scooting over to make room for her on their couch. He’s given them both time to recover from their moment in the kitchen, the moment of bravery they’d both exuded, and now it is back to hesitant steps and shy, calculated words. He takes a deep breath, seemingly nervous to see the photographic proof of their love. He’s enjoyed this past week more than he thought he would; seeing this more relaxed side of Regina has been nice, but he still hasn’t fully grasped that they have vowed to spend the rest of their lives together completely.

She opens up the first page, revealing a beautiful picture of her standing in a grassy field - the same one from the large canvas portrait of them in the upstairs hallway. The sun is shining behind her, illuminating the edges of her mermaid wedding gown and beautifully curled updo with a small, simple tiara tucked into it. She’s gorgeous - then and now. He lets out an impressed breath, whispering, “You looked beautiful,” as he turns to look at her.

She smiles shyly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “Thank you,” she whispers, before turning the page. The next photograph is of them separately with the bridal party. 

Regina is standing, bouquet in hand, surrounded by her bridesmaids - Snow, Emma, and Kathryn, all in long, black dresses. The picture next to it is of him with his groomsmen - Henry, Frederick, and Marco, all in their black tuxedos with a burgundy colored flower in their breast pockets to match the girls’ bouquets.

“The wedding was gorgeous,” Regina gushes, running her fingers over the photographs that live behind their protective sleeves. She tells him how she loved the color scheme, something David had teased her about back then when planning the wedding, saying everything in her life was black and red. Regina tells him with a wistful smile on her face that the fall weather was amazing; the sun was going down and there was a nice, warm breeze - not too hot, not too cold, just perfect. It wasn’t a large ceremony, just their closest friends in town. Everyone sat in rows of chairs on either side of a walkway created by burgundy flower petals, lining Regina’s path to David. The ceremony took place in her large backyard, and their loved ones watched them become man and wife underneath her beloved apple tree that was wrapped with fairy lights. Lanterns hung down from the tree’s branches, casting a glow upon the bride and groom as Archie performed the ceremony. The whole thing was magical, exactly how Regina always imagined a wedding being - not some big performance, like her first marriage, where her love for her husband wasn’t the center of attention.

“Granny catered,” she tells him, flipping to another page in the album to show him photographs of their reception, this one a picture of Granny behind the buffet style tables draped in the finest table cloths. David points to Marco, dressed in his tuxedo, sans jacket, dishing out food to people and looks at Regina questioningly. She giggles, leaning closer to see the picture better. “He helped serve food once we all finished taking pictures - he couldn’t let her do it alone.”

“Yeah,” David says, scrunching his eyebrows. “What’s up with that? I noticed the puppy dog eyes he was making at her from across the diner yesterday morning when I stopped in for coffee.” He’s been getting out of the house more this week, stopping into the sheriff’s station for a few hours in the mornings to help Emma with some paperwork until he’s fully able to work an entire day. Before work, though, he’s been staggering in to the diner, desperately needing the coffee his body craves. Since Regina has chosen not to drink any with her pregnancy, despite being allowed a small amount each day, he figured it’d be less tortuous to not brew any at the house while she gets ready for work.

She smiles at that, telling him that Granny and Marco had finally admitted to their feelings for each other and started dating two years ago. “It’s really quite adorable,” she states, saying how they’ve never been happier. “They’re just as love struck as the day he asked her out.”

David smiles at that, wishing desperately he could remember feeling love struck with Regina, the way he once felt with Snow. He’d woken up last week feeling as if he was still in love with his ex-wife, and instantly being told they had both moved on had been difficult, gut wrenching even. Regina’s been so patient this past week, though, helping him with whatever he needs, taking care of him and reassuring him in his moments of frustration that it would all be okay. Clearly she’s completely different than the woman he woke up believing she was. He just wants, no,  _ needs, _ his memories back. “Was I like that with you? So drunk on love that I couldn’t even focus?”

Regina tears up at that, a lone tear sliding softly down her cheek, and he instantly feels guilty for how the question came off. He hadn’t mean for her to feel as if he was questioning his love for her on their wedding day - he’s just curious if he ever acted like a love sick puppy the way Marco was behaving the other day. She shrugs sadly, reaching up to wipe the tear away before his hand can make it to her cheek to do just that, and says, “I hope so. I’d like to think that you were still madly in love with me up until your accident.” She shakes her head and clears her throat of the emotions she’s clearly trying to tamp down, pointing to the next photograph with a smile. “This is me, obviously, walking down the aisle.” She slides her finger over to the page beside it, saying, “And this was you watching me walk down to you… I’d say you look pretty love struck, wouldn’t you?”

His breath is lost to him - she was the most beautiful bride he’s ever seen. And the look on his own face in that photograph, watching her walk to him and become his wife… he’s never seen himself look so elated, so infatuated and in love - not even with Snow. If someone needed a picture of what true happiness looked like, he could show them that photograph. God, how he wishes his true feelings would return instead of this battle he feels within himself.

“Yeah,” he breathes, looking up at her, then back to the photograph. “We look so happy,” he says wondrously with a content smile, looking into her eyes again.

Her eyes have misted over, and damn it, he doesn’t want to make her cry again. At least these, he hopes, are happier tears. He’s made her cry so many times over the last week, and no matter how often she blames the pregnancy hormones, he knows it’s his memory loss that’s done it most of the time. 

She nods, sniffling slightly (she’s too good at hiding her emotions, even from him), and saying, “Yeah, it was an amazing day.” She chuckles a bit to herself, telling him it was planned rather quickly because they didn’t see the need in being engaged for long, but it all worked out. “It was one of the best days of my life.”

David nods in agreement; he isn’t sure how he knows it was for him as well, but he does. Suddenly, his brain throbs in pain, causing him to grab his forehead. There are flashes of memories in his mind - 

“ _ I never thought I’d find someone to love me again,”   _ he hears Regina’s voice tremble clearly in his mind, as if she were saying the words to him right now in their living room.  _ She’s smiling at him, veil trailing behind her and one tiny curl resting against her forehead as a tear glides down her cheek. He reaches up to wipe it away, smiling down at her gorgeous face.    _

_ “I, David, take you, Regina….”   _ he can see them exchanging vows, can smell the breeze as it blows past them, cooling his nervous, overheated skin and wafting her perfume into his nose. “ _ I promise to be faithful, loving no one else but you.”  _

He hears Archie pronouncing them man and wife and can feel the skin of her back beneath his palm as he pulls his wife closer, capturing her lips in a loving embrace for the first time as man and wife.

“David?” he hears Regina ask worriedly as she places her hand on his back, rubbing up and down his spine. 

He sees them walking down the aisle, hand in hand as their friends clap. He can feel Regina’s palm beneath his, her thin fingers linked with his as she gives him a tiny squeeze in excitement.  _ “We did it,”  _ she whispers in his ear as they climb into the limo that will drive them to their reception.  _ “We did. I love you, Regina,”  _ he hears himself reply back with a huge smile on his face, leaning in to kiss her. David reaches up, placing his fingers upon his lips as if he can feel Regina’s plump lips beneath his now as they sit together in their house. 

It’s like miniature movies flashing quickly in succession. There’s the reception - dancing, toasts, cake and more kissing - he’d danced slowly with her, whispering in her ear how beautiful she was and how much he loves her, how lucky he was to call her his wife.

“David!?” Regina’s voice brings him back from his memories. He shakes his head furiously, furrowing her brows in confusion. “David, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he breathes, turning to look at her with a wide smile growing on his face. His eyes are glossy with tears, knowing he actually remembered something real, and an important memory at that. It wasn’t just a dream this time; it was an actual memory coming straight back to his mind. A confusing memory, one that rivals with what his heart is still feeling for Snow deep down, but a memory nonetheless. “I’m alright,” he reassures her over and over again when she looks at him skeptically. 

David closes the wedding album, taking it from her hands and setting it gently on the coffee table. He takes her hands in his, bringing them up to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles. He’s still partially in a daze, still dumbfounded by what just happened. “You smelled different that day,” he says softly, looking deeply into her bewildered eyes, trying to bring that love he knows he once felt for her to the surface again. “Like the gardenias in our garden instead of your usual fruity perfume.”

Regina gasps, apparently stunned. She looks at David with wide, wet eyes. “Y-you remember that?” She tells him how Snow had given it to her that day as part of her wedding gift, but she hadn’t thought he had noticed. 

David shakes his head as if coming out from a fog. "No, I mean yes, but no,” he stammers, trying to explain what is happening inside his brain. “It's like a dream though. I can see it, but I… I don't feel like I was actually  _ there _ .”

“Oh,” Regina breathes, looking like she can physically feel the sting of dejection that he doesn’t remember the emotions behind their wedding day. He can clearly tell from their pictures and the memories he was just given back that there was a lot of love surrounding them - knows there was based on how much they seem to still love each other - but his actual emotions aren’t attached to the memories yet. “I understand.”

David takes her hand, vowing, “I’m trying, Regina.”

“No,” she says, shaking her head, “I know you are.” She smiles at him with watery eyes and reaches down to rub her belly. He’s noticed over the last few days that she seeks out comfort from their unborn child when things get too hard. He doesn’t think it’s just the magical comfort their son provides, but it’s something from before his accident that she can hold on to no matter where she is. He glances down to her belly, then back to her, giving her his most apologetic look he can muster. 

He hates this. Hates that he can’t remember everything he’s missed, hates that the little bit he does is still just like he’s watching a movie he’s never seen before. And above anything, he hates that his mind still feels as if he’s in love with Snow when everyone around him, and the memories coming back to him, are telling him something completely different. He feels as if he’s gone to battle within himself, a war raging inside his brain cells. He feels things deeply for the life he had seven years ago, but is trying so desperately to be the husband and father Regina and their children need now. It’s confusing, and frustrating, and he doesn’t know how to handle all of this.

He huffs in irritation at himself, running his fingers through his hair and slumping into the couch. Regina stands, telling him she needs to finish cleaning the kitchen from their pizza making experiment earlier. 

He reminds her that they already did that, and she chuckles wetly, blaming her pregnancy brain. “I need to at least empty the dishwasher now that it’s done running,” she tells him, starting to walk toward to hallway. He knows, doesn’t know how but somehow knows, that she’s just looking for an excuse to leave the room - to not be near him right now. 

David sighs, standing and placing one hand on her belly and the other on her elbow to anchor her where they stand. “I’ll do it.” He nods his head toward the stairs, saying, “You go on up and take a bath, relax for a bit.”

She shakes her head, claiming she’s fine and walks off hurriedly to the kitchen. Fuck. David curses to himself, wishing his memories would come back to him sooner so that he could remember more of this life he’s built with this incredible woman.

As he goes to walk out of the living room, the assortment of pictures on the fireplace mantle catch his eye. He walks over, realizing he’s never really taken the time to look at these particular pictures before. David picks one up, smiling down at the photograph of him, Regina, Olivia and Henry all huddled around the Christmas tree with their matching red and green reindeer pajamas on. He can tell it’s from this most recent holiday because the kids still look the same. Regina is sitting in his lap while Olivia rests on Henry’s hip, pointing to the star at the top of the tree with an excited grin on her face. 

What makes him tear up with emotion, however, is the way he’s looking at his wife in the picture. With all the Christmas chaos surrounding them, and the kids full of excitement at the tree, all he can look at is her. Nothing else around him has his attention. The David in this picture is gazing upon his wife, who has her hand cupping his cheek, smiling down at him with more love in his eyes than he’s ever witnessed before from anyone else. The look in his eyes is nothing but complete adoration for this woman - that love struck, puppy love he’d been so curious about earlier - and he realizes with a start that the David buried somewhere deep down beneath all his memory loss truly did,  _ does _ , love Regina. And he hopes now more than ever that that David can fight his way to the surface once again for all of their sake.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Thanks again for the reviews and support. You guys are awesome. I hope you enjoy this one. Please leave a review and let me know! :)
> 
> {*******************************}

**Chapter Four**

It’s been two weeks since David remembered their wedding, and she can’t complain about how things have progressed. Sure, she would love for her husband’s memories and feelings for her to come back today, but he’s working on it. He’s remembered smaller moments of his life lately - like family dinners they’d shared with their kids, cases he’s worked on at the sheriff’s station, and even Emma getting engaged to Chang, Mulan’s brother, which had seemed odd since he was the brother of her mother’s wife, but in this family, relation doesn’t seem to really matter. 

“How about we go to Granny’s for dinner on Saturday, just you and me?” She hears him ask as he leans against the door frame of their living room. She looks up, surprised, and closes the file she’d been looking over for her meeting tomorrow morning. 

“Oh, s-sure,” she stammers, trying not to get her hopes up. She and David have always gone to Granny’s every Saturday as part of their date nights, and she can’t help but wonder if maybe he’d gotten another memory back of one of those times. “That sounds lovely.” She smiles over her shoulder at him, placing the file down on the coffee table as he makes his way inside the room.

He sits down in the chair across from where she’s perched criss crossed on the couch and grins at her. “Granny told me yesterday that we’ve missed our withstanding Saturday night reservation the past three weeks,” he mentions, looking into her eyes questioningly. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

She sighs, slipping her dark rimmed glasses off and placing them on the table as well. “Well you’ve been a little busy recovering from a car accident and amnesia,” she acknowledges, bringing a hand up to rub between her eyes. “And I didn’t think you’d want to go on a date with the Ev… with me.”

She tells him how their weekly dates started when he asks, recounting how when they’d gotten home from their honeymoon, they realized they didn’t have enough food to make a meal with. “Henry was staying with Emma, so we threw on our shoes and jackets and headed to Granny’s.” He smiles at that, sitting back further in the plush chair. 

Regina goes on, saying some people still weren’t used to seeing Prince Charming and the Evil Queen together, let alone married, so they sat in a booth in the back, which has now become their booth every week. “We just sat there for  _ hours _ ,” she laughs, smiling at the memory, “talking about our future and laughing the night away.”

“It sounds nice,” David affirms, interrupting her memory.

She hums, nodding her head as she stretches her legs out, crossing one over the other on the table in front of her. “You suggested we do it again the next week, and then the next… and the next.” She smiles, “And it just sort of became our tradition. You said ‘Even though we’re married, I—”

“—Still want to date you,” David finishes for her, smiling softly in her direction.

Regina sits up a bit straighter, running her fingers through her hair as she tries to control the tears welling in her eyes. No matter how many little memories have come back to him, hearing him talk about something from their past always makes her emotional. She knows her David is in there, deep down, and it’s moments like this that she sees him fighting for them. “Yeah,” she breathes, smiling timidly back at him. “Exactly.”

“Have we ever missed a weekly date before or has this been the first time?”

Regina giggles, crossing her arms over her chest. “The only Saturday we ever missed was the one right after Olivia was born,” she says. “She arrived on a Tuesday, and you finally convinced me not to go out four days after giving birth.”

David smirks, and she does too, as he murmurs he’s not surprised she was so stubborn about it. 

She scrunches her nose playfully in his direction, saying, “I finally agreed, but you surprised me by going to pick it up. We had a little picnic on our bed with Henry while Olivia slept in her bassinet.”

_ “David,” Regina giggles. “I still can’t believe you did this.” _

_ He leans in, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he takes out the containers from the Granny’s To-Go bag. David hands Henry a box as the boy gently climbs onto the bed at his mother’s feet, pulling his legs into a criss-cross so he can rest his plate in his lap. “Thanks, David,” he says, reaching over to grab a napkin.  _

_ Regina looks to her left, lifting her chin to get a better look at their new daughter resting peacefully beside the bed. She smiles, sighing contentedly to herself before roaming her eyes over to her son. He’s gotten so big, almost twelve in a few months, and she can’t believe how quickly time has gone by. She feels like it was just yesterday that he was sleeping in a crib. She tears up at the thought, not ready to admit her little prince is growing up.  _

_ Reaching up, she wipes the tear away before anyone can notice and looks over to David. He’s talking to Henry about his homework and how he’ll help him in the morning before they go toss the ball around at the park. David hands her a box, smiling as he does so. _

_ She takes it, thanking him, and opens it up to reveal a juicy hamburger. She groans at the sight, and they all giggle at how loudly her stomach growls. David sets the empty bag on the floor, taking his place beside Regina on the bed.  _

_ The three of them sit and talk, laughing at how different life is going to be with a baby in the house now. They eat their food, Regina commenting on how this was a great idea, and David smiles, saying, “Well I couldn’t let our tradition go just because we have a new baby.” _

_ She smiles, reaching over to cup his cheek. She gives it a light scratch, always loving his stubble so much, then pats his cheek as he leans in to press a light peck to his lips. Henry moans, saying, “I’m going to go eat in my room if you guys keep being all mushy.”  _

_ They chuckle, pulling apart to finish their meal as Olivia sighs in her sleep, deep, little breaths escaping her partially opened mouth as she snoozes away next to her family. _

David sighs, looking lovingly at her, which confuses her. There’s been moments these last few weeks where he’ll say something or look at her a certain way, and she swears nothing has changed. It makes her heart ache; she’s thought about taking it out until his memories return, but Snow had convinced her not to. “Well, if you’re up for it,” he asserts, pulling her from her over-analysis, “I’d love to go to dinner with you.”

She smiles, biting her bottom lip to tamper it down before it can grow too wide. Nodding, she replies, “I’d love to,” trying not to sound overly excited. She misses her husband, she’s enjoyed his light touches these weeks, but she misses  _ him _ \- misses sitting and talking with him, laughing and just being together. It’ll be different, she has to remind herself of that, but at least it’ll be something.

“Who will watch the kids, though?”

Regina chuckles, scrunching her eyebrows together. “Henry can watch Olivia.”

David joins in on her laughter, running a hand through his blonde hair as he reveals, “I forget he’s old enough to do that now.”

“Seventeen…” she sighs, closing her eyes to ward off the onslaught of emotions at how old her baby boy is these days.

“What will we do for a babysitter when he goes off to college?”

She opens her eyes, lifting her head from the back of the couch, smiling at the thought of him planning more dates with her than just this Saturday.

Regina stands, grabbing her file and slipping her glasses back on. David stands, too, walking toward the doorway with her. She smiles up at him, placing her hand in between his shoulder blades, saying, “We’ll figure something out.”

“Sounds good,” he chuckles, walking toward the steps as her hand gently falls from his back. She’d felt the muscles of his strong back, and she was once again reminded of how strong and sexy her husband is. God, she wants to see him, to feel him, so badly. These hormones are going to be the death of her. 

She clears her throat, saying she needs to get to sleep before this budget meeting in the morning. He nods, agreeing that he wants to get plenty of rest before trying to work a full day tomorrow. He’s been working part time the past two weeks, and the last few days he’s been able to stay almost the entire day before Emma would send him home, claiming he was just as stubborn as his wife and he needed to rest. His goal was to make it until at least four-thirty tomorrow, though. Regina had smiled at him during dinner when he informed them, encouraging him and saying she had complete faith in him that he could do it. 

David pauses in the hallway at the base of the stairs and turns to look at her. She furrows her brows, silently asking if something is wrong. He places a hand on her shoulder and one hand on her hip, and then hesitantly leans in slightly. He smiles down at her, breathing out a  _ Goodnight, Regina, _ before placing the lightest of pecks to her lips. 

It happens so fast that she doesn’t even have time to close her eyes fully before they’re blinking back open to stare at him wide-eyed as he grins, dropping his hands and walking up the stairs.

“Good-good night, David,” she stammers. She’s suddenly parched, so after watching him walk up the stairs for a second, she stumbles and turns the opposite way to go pour a glass of water in the kitchen. Confusion doesn’t even begin to describe how she’s feeling, but it’s the first time her husband has even remotely attempted to kiss her in almost a month, so she’ll take it.

Reaching up, she rubs her fingertips along her lips, smiling to herself as she tries to settle the flurry of butterflies swarming in her stomach.

{**********************}

Two nights later, David finds himself walking into Granny’s with his beautiful wife on his arm. He’d done all the gentlemanly things for her - opening her car door, holding the door open for her - because he wants to try. His mind is still conflicted, seeing or hearing about Snow and Mulan still sends a jolt of jealousy through him that he can’t explain, but he’s trying. He wants to make this work with Regina whether his old feelings for her come back or not. He likes his wife, enjoys her company, that much is clear to him, which continues to surprise him since he’s so used to how she used to be. She’s completely different than the woman he once believed her to be, though. She’s kind and caring; she makes him laugh like he never expected, and she’s a wonderful mother to their children. 

“Glad to see you two back in here again,” Granny greets them, giving a warm smile. “I kept your booth open.”

Regina smiles, catching the old wolf’s eye as she grins her way. “Thank you, Granny,” she says, following beside David as he leads them to their table. 

David releases her arm from his bent elbow, letting her sit on the side that faces out. She told him she always liked to sit on that side so she could keep an eye out for who was coming into the diner and what was happening. 

He smiles, nodding and letting her sit down. She looks beautiful tonight - they didn’t need to dress up just to eat at the diner, but she’d opted for dark wash jeans with a sheer burgundy blouse and a black tank top underneath it. The tank hugged her belly while the sheer top was a bit more flowing. She had her typical black heels with it, though he’d reminded her before they left the house that she didn’t need to wear them to dinner since she’d been in heels all week for work. He didn’t want her feet to hurt too much, knowing that her growing, six month pregnant tummy was putting more pressure on her feet these days. She’d smiled while slipping them on at their house, reassuring him that she’d be fine for a few hours of sitting in heels. 

“You look beautiful tonight, Regina,” he finally declares, deciding he should tell her instead of just thinking it in his head. “I mean you look great all the time,” he backpedals clumsily, not wanting to insult his pregnant wife, “but tonight is… wow, yeah.” She looks stunned, or confused, he isn’t sure. He closes his eyes for a brief second, running his hand through his hair. He opens his eyes to apologize and catches Regina’s gaze. She’s smiling at him, almost shyly, and he’s pretty sure he spies a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

He grins, loosening up as he settles into the booth. Maybe giving her compliments isn’t such a bad idea if he gets to see that look on her face when he does. 

“What can I get you?” Ruby asks as she strolls over, dark ponytail falling over one shoulder and interrupting their little moment.

David orders a diet coke while Regina orders a water, and before Ruby leaves, he orders them a basket of cheese sticks as an appetizer. Regina smiles and nods as she rubs a hand over her stomach, saying that is exactly what she wanted. Ruby and David chuckle as the girl leaves them to wait, saying their drinks will be right out.

“How’s the baby doing, by the way,” David asks, watching as she presses a hand to her belly. He’s been keeping up with her progress, her giving him updates every few days, but he wants to know all about her pregnancy, wants to be there for her as much as he can. 

She smiles. “He’s fine, just excited for those cheese sticks,” she laughs. “I can’t believe I’m already at twenty-six weeks… he’ll be here before we know it at this rate.”

David smiles, doing the mental math to know she’s six months along, and he once again imagines what their son will look like. He invisions blonde hair like his and dark, brown eyes like Regina, but he can also see him coming out much like his sister - dark, raven hair like their mother and his blue eyes. Either way, he knows their son will be beautiful. 

“I actually have a doctor’s appointment on Monday if you’d like to go,” she offers, looking up into his eyes. She looks so hopeful, and it breaks his heart knowing how unsure she is of his willingness to be in her life and a part of this process. 

He sighs softly, smiling in her direction. “That’d be amazing; I’d love to go.”

Regina smiles brightly, looking up to Ruby as she sets their drinks down, thanking her. They order their food - a burger for Regina, the chicken finger sandwich for him, and fries with both their meals - and Ruby hurries off, smiling at them knowingly as she does. 

“So,” he states, taking a sip of his drink, “How much more do we have to do in the nursery?” He’d peeked in the other day, seeing that they’d already set up the crib, changing table and rocker, but he had noticed a lot of things still seemed to be missing.

She nods, swallowing a sip of water before telling him they need to go pick some more items out. “We’ve got the big stuff, you know, but we need to get some more decorations for the room. “You were going to hang some pictures on the the walls the other week, but…” she trails off, looking to him with a slight grimace to her face. He looks down, guilt flooding him that he’s neglected his family lately. He knows it’s not his fault, he wasn’t planning on getting into a car accident, but he still wants to provide for what they need. 

“Do we have the pictures already?” he asks. “I can do it tomorrow while I have the day off.”

Regina nods, saying they’re in the closet of the nursery. She tells him they’d agreed to keep the white walls, adding the black and white striped curtains to the windows to match the black furniture. The pictures depict different animals in black and white with blue frames surrounding them. “We need to go get the blue accents we wanted soon,” she tells him, saying they’d picked out a blue blanket to hang on the crib that matches the glider rocker already in the room.

“We can go in the morning, if you’d like,” he tells her. “We can go out for a little bit, then I can hang the frames on the wall wherever you want them.”

She smiles, saying that sounds like a great idea.

Ruby drops their cheese sticks off, and Regina moans in delight at the smell as she picks two up, placing them on her plate and pouring some marinara sauce as well. David chuckles, picking one up for himself. “This look delicious,” he declares as she takes her first bite. She moans again, this one a bit louder, and he shifts in his seat, the sounds she’s making over the food doing things to his body. He needs to get himself under control, she’s pregnant for God’s sake, she probably doesn’t even want to have sex right now with a man that doesn’t completely remember her or their life together.

“It is,” Regina hums, wiping off the side of her mouth with her napkin. They both giggle, digging in for more of their appetizer. 

“Oh,” she says, “we can also sign up for our baby registry tomorrow.”

He looks at her, tilting his head in confusion. “A what?”

Regina laughs, swallowing the last of her first cheese stick. “A baby registry,” she states. “We go around the store, scanning items we want. Then, when we have my baby shower, people can go to the store and know exactly what we want so they don’t just pick up random items.” She explains that they aren’t having a big shower, but Snow had wanted to host a small get together so their friends could gift them with items for a baby boy this time since all they had in the house was stuff for a little girl (and she’d long since gotten rid of items from when Henry was a baby).

“Ah,” he sighs, picking up another cheese stick, “that makes sense.”

They agree to spending their morning tomorrow shopping and registering, hoping Henry won’t mind watching his sister again for a few hours (shopping sans children is so much easier, she reminds him). They don’t need the bigger items - they’re using the same furniture they had for Olivia for their newest addition, except the light blue glider rocker they bought when they discovered it was a boy - but they need boy clothes, diapers, and smaller items that she’d given to Snow when she was pregnant with the twins. Then they’ll spend the afternoon with her directing him, telling him exactly where to hang these animal pictures she’s so excited about. 

Ruby drops off their dinners, asking if they need anything else. They tell her they don’t as she refills their drinks and then makes her way over to her next table. 

They eat in silence for a few minutes, Regina finishing up the last cheese stick before digging into her burger. He smiles to himself, loving this side of her. He’d always expected the queen to be a picky eater, always watching what she ate, and he can’t help but laugh at how cute she is devouring all the greasy goodness in front of her. 

“So, what has been your favorite date we’ve gone on here?” he asks, picking up a few of his fries to eat. 

Regina smiles, leaning back and twisting her torso a bit, claiming she’s making room for more food which makes him laugh. “The time you proposed is probably my favorite,” she giggles, taking another bite of her burger. 

“I proposed at Granny’s?” That doesn’t seem terribly romantic, he thinks, even if this is their spot. 

She chuckles, shaking her head. “No, we just came here before you proposed.”

Regina goes on, telling him how this wasn’t  _ their spot _ yet, that didn’t happen until after their wedding, but they’d come here after a movie. He was so nervous the whole time, and she didn’t know why. “I was confused and amused,” she grins, saying she kept laughing at him because he seemed so nervous. “You kept dropping your fork… I thought something was wrong.”

He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck as he imagines how nervous he must’ve been. “Oh, man…”

She laughs, telling him how after their awkwardly nervous dinner, he’d taken her for a walk along the pier. “It was beautiful,” she sighs wistfully, clearly thinking back to that night as her face lights up. Regina recalls how they were standing on the docks all alone, the ocean waves crashing onto the wooden pillars as a cool breeze blew across their skin. “The stars were so bright that night,” she recalls.

His mind suddenly takes him back, seeing the scene she’s just created. 

_ “I probably should’ve thought about the fish smell before doing this,” he jokes, still down on one knee. He’d slipped the ring on her finger just moments ago, and she was still staring at it in awe. _

_ Regina chuckles giddily, leaning down. She cups his face, pressing a kiss to his lips. He stands, not breaking their kiss, but deepening it, as he wraps his arms around her waist. Her arms come up, circling around his neck as she pulls him closer.  _

_ “I love you, David,” she breathes as she breaks their kiss, her whisper floating away with the breeze of the night.  _

_ He pulls her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And I love you, future Mrs. Nolan.” _

David shakes his head, blinking furiously. Regina asks if he’s alright, and he nods, smiling over at her. “Yeah,” he says, an airy chuckle escaping out through his nose. “I was just thinking about how that fish smell really ruined the moment.” He grins at her when he sees the recognition in her eyes, lighting up her whole face. He loves when his brain sends him a memory, loves even more seeing her poorly hidden excitement each time he does. 

“Yeah,” she laughs out as she tries to blink her tears away. “But I didn’t even notice until you pointed it out.”

He smiles, laughing again and saying he shouldn’t have said anything then. “My grand, romantic gesture must’ve covered up the smell,” he says with a sexy grin on his face as he reaches over, rubbing his thumb along her diamond ring. And all Regina can do is smile, popping the last of her fries into her mouth.

A little while later, after he’d paid for their meals, they stand to leave, but he’s not prepared for what they run into. Sitting three booths behind them are Snow and Mulan. He knows, logically, that his ex-wife has moved on and found love with someone else, as he has, but  _ seeing _ it is totally different. It’s confusing and frustrating that his mind can’t seem to sort out the emotions his body is feeling.

“Hi, Snow, Mulan,” Regina greets happily on their way out. David smiles at them, giving them each a polite nod of his head. Regina talks to the women for a few minutes, catching up and planning a play date between their twin boys and Olivia, and all David can do it stare blankly at the couple, mainly Snow. His mind is going haywire - his heart and his mind sending him two different signals, and suddenly he feels the need to get out of there immediately. 

Taking Regina’s hand, he tells the ladies goodnight and escorts his wife outside. 

“You okay?” she asks, looking over to him suspiciously as he opens the car door for her. 

“Mmhmm,” he hums, nodding his head repeatedly, trying to tell himself that he’s fine. This is his life now, this is fine, it’s good. He likes this life with Regina and their children, but seeing Snow again, with her wife this time, had been a shock to his system. 

Regina slides in, mumbling an  _ If you say so _ out as he walks to the other side of the car. Tonight had been going to well, he was feeling like a normal person again - at dinner with his wife, making plans for a peaceful Sunday afternoon, reminiscing and having another memory come back - it’d been great. He just wishes they could stay in their house and never see anyone until he’s back to his old self again, maybe then he wouldn’t be jealous of a woman he’s only met once, the one that gets to take his ex-wife home at night. 

“You ready?” Regina asks, placing a hand on his wrist. His hand still holds the key in the ignition, but he hasn’t moved to put the car in reverse. He realizes he’s just been sitting there, stewing in his jealousy of Mulan and his waring feelings over how he feels for Snow and Regina.

“Y-yeah,” he stammers, looking over to her. She looks concerned, but also like she’s aware of what he’s thinking somehow, and he just smiles, bringing her hand up from his wrist to place a small kiss to her palm. “Let’s go home.”

{********************}

Later that night, as Regina lays in bed reading, she hears a light knock on her door. Looking over and tucking her bookmark into the page, she smiles up at David who stands in the doorway. He has his pillow tucked under his arm, and he shrugs his shoulder sheepishly, hoisting the pillow higher to be seen.

“I was wondering if I could sleep in here tonight?” he asks, smirking as he takes another step inside. “Might be a good routine to start back up.”

She sits up high in the bed, fluffing her pillow behind her back, unsure of what this all means. Placing her hand on her stomach as she leans over to set her book and glasses on the nightstand, her eyebrows pinch in confusion. Wasn’t it just tonight that he was flirting with her at dinner, complimenting her, remembering the night he proposed, then getting all weird and quiet when he saw Snow and Mulan? Regina sighs, not wanting to deny her husband the chance to sleep in his own bed, especially when he’s been trying so hard to get back to his regular life. 

“Of course,” she claims with a small smile, nodding hesitantly and sliding back to her side of the bed, guiltily admitting that she’s been reading on his side of the bed at night before rolling over to hers, claiming his lamp is better. What she doesn’t tell him is it’s because his other pillow that still resides on their mattress smells like him, and she likes surrounding herself in his scent before finally falling asleep. 

David smiles, walking over and placing his pillow down before sitting on top of the covers. She’s under the sheet, claiming it’s too hot to sleep under the comforter as well. “Archie suggested at my last session that I start living even more of a normal routine now that I’m comfortable around you and the kids,” he explains. “One of those  _ normal routines _ being sleeping next to my wife.”

He leans his back against the headboard, lacing his fingers together and placing them on the back of his head. “No funny business, of course,” he jokes, causing her to smile and roll her eyes. “But I thought I would at least try sleeping in here.”

She nods, clearing her throat. She’s glad Archie is helping, she’s suggested to him two weeks ago (just after he remembered their wedding) that he start going - told him it might be helpful to talk to someone about the conflict he feels inside over everything. He’s met with him a few times now, and it seems to be helping. 

“That’s probably a good idea,” she says, rubbing her stomach. She reaches up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and glances back over to him. He’s smiling, settling further onto the bed. He’s still not under the covers and she can’t help but grin at that - always the gentleman. 

David turns on his side, bending his elbow and propping his head up in the palm of his hand. He reaches over with his right hand, hovering above her belly with a  _ May I? _

She smiles, telling him, “Of course you can,” as he lowers his hand, rubbing soothing circles around her tummy. 

They sit there in the silence of her room, the only sound heard is her deep breathing and the whirring of the fan as it cools the room down. It may not be that hot outside, but she’s a furnace, always more heated than anyone else in the house. 

“Regina,” he starts slowly. “I wanted to apologize to you.”

She looks over at him, lowering her shoulders onto her top pillow (she’s got three under her at this point). “For what?”

He sighs, patting her belly when he feels a hard lump, before resuming his circling motion. 

“For how I acted earlier, at dinner.”

She twists her lips, hoping they could have avoided talking about this for a few days. She knows it’d hurt him seeing Snow and Mulan together, but it’d hurt her seeing how flustered he’d gotten. Deep down, she understands his confliction, but it doesn’t make it any easier on her. “When we ran into Snow and Mulan,” she states, not needing to ask.

David sighs again, rolling onto his back. His hands go behind his head again, propping it up a bit as he stares at the ceiling. “Yeah,” he breathes. “I’m just… confused.”

His admission breaks her heart - she feels for her husband, she does - and she’s glad he’s opening up more to her now. “It’s okay, David,” she tells him sincerely, running her hand along his side, then placing her hand on his stomach.

He picks up her hand, bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss on her palm like he’d done earlier. David rolls back onto his side like before, clearly not able to sit still. His hand goes back to her belly, rubbing again, and she wonders if it calms his nerves like it does her to touch her stomach.

“It’s not okay, Regina,” he laments, taking a deep breath. He admits to her that Archie has encouraged him to be more vulnerable with her, and that’s what he’s trying to do. She quietly nods in understanding as he explains the war raging inside of him. “It’s like my heart and my mind are telling me two different things,” he agonizes with a furrow to his brow and a force she’s never heard in his voice. “I hate it.”

He tells her how he  _ knows _ in his mind that he’s not married to Snow, that he’s married to her. “All the memories that have come back, all the photographs I’ve seen, all tell me that I’m married to you… and happily so.” She smiles, nodding and murmuring a  _ Yes, we are _ before he shakes his head, confusion written all over his face. He looks up at her with guilt in his eyes when he confesses, “But then my heart is telling me something  _ else _ .” He sighs, pulling himself a touch closer to her body. 

She runs her finger tips along his forearm that rests on her stomach, scratching the skin there lightly. “You woke up three weeks ago believing you were still married to Snow, I get it.”

David closes his eyes, taking a deep breath like he does when he’s trying to control his emotions. Opening them back up, he gives her belly another rub, saying, “It’s as if there’s two David’s inside me - the real one, your husband, and this one that’s overtaken me. The one that likes you, enjoys being here, understands that he’s married to you, but still struggles with feeling like he’s in love with Snow.”

The admission cuts deep, and she takes a shaky breath, not wanting him to see her cry over this. After all, this is his struggle, not hers, and she needs to be strong for him. She brings her arm closest to him up, reaching around his neck to run it through the hair at the base of his neck while her other hand rests on his forearm still. “I’m not going to lie to you, David,” she says softly, taking another deep breath. “It hurts, hearing how your heart still believes it’s in love with Snow, but at the same time, I understand.” She tells him how his body is confused, and it just needs time to sort itself out.

He smiles, leaning over the press a quick kiss to her stomach. She smiles down at him, retracting her arm from around his shoulder to land above his on her stomach. 

“It’s so hard,” he sighs, pulling back from her rounded belly. “And I’m so, so sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

She shrugs, assuring him that she knows he doesn’t. “I love you, David, and I’m going to support you through this.” And she will. This is her husband,  _ for better or for worse _ , she recites in her mind. This is definitely the worst thing they’ve experienced together as a couple, but they’re strong, stronger than most. “We  _ will _ get through this,” she promises.

He nods, sighing and saying he knows they will. He tells her he’s going to keep seeing Archie twice a week, and he vows to be more open with her about what he’s feeling. She smiles, saying that’s all she wants. “Honesty has always been our strong suit,” she tells him, smirking to herself at all the times he was  _ too _ honest in his feelings for her when she was still being too stubborn to admit that they were something more than friends. 

David smiles up at her, looking back down when they both feel their son move. He sits up higher, moving his hand over the lump just in time to feel a swift kick to her rib cage. She winces slightly, giggling when David’s eyes widen. 

“Did… did I feel him kick already?” he asks suddenly. “Before my accident… when we were… in the shower?”

She chuckles, biting her lip as she thinks back to that night. It wasn’t with this baby but with Olivia. 

_ “David!” she screeches in excitement as the water pours down. “Feel!” _

_ She takes his slippery hand, moving it to touch her swollen belly. His hands have body wash on them where he’d been making his way around her body, washing her and feeling her naked skin beneath his hands when she’d felt a kick, hard enough this time for him to feel as well.  _

_ “Oh, wow,” he breathes, rinsing his hands off quickly under the spray of the warm water before bringing them back to her stomach. “Hey, little girl,” he coos, leaning closer to where their daughter is moving. “It’s Daddy. Are you moving for me?” There’s another hard kick to Regina’s insides and they both laugh. She brings one hand to her stomach to feel as well, and David slides his pinky over, interlocking their last digits together as they stand there, shower forgotten, as they feel their daughter move for the first time together.  _

_ “That’s amazing,” David says, standing up straight again to press a kiss to her lips.  _

_ She smiles, saying she’s glad he can feel the kicks now, too.  _

_ “Does it hurt?” _

_ Regina laughs, nodding, but assuring him it only hurts sometimes. He kisses her again before leaning back down, murmuring sweet nothings to their baby girl.  _

“That was with Olivia,” Regina chuckles wetly, the emotions overwhelming her each time he remembers something about their children. 

He blushes, most likely at remembering her naked body, and she smirks, side eyeing him before settling further into the bed. She pulls the sheet up over her stomach when he rolls back to his side of the bed. “I don’t remember much,” he admits. “Just us touching your stomach while she kicked and me talking to her.”

Regina smiles, rolling onto her side to look at him. She reaches over, patting his chest, before bringing her hand back to rest against her breast. “Well,” she breathes, “it’s something, and that’s good.”

He nods, rolling onto his side as well. He’s still on top of the covers, and she laughs to herself, wondering if he’s going to sleep like that all night. He gets cold easily, quicker than her at least, so she knows he’ll get chilled during the night. “You can sleep under the covers, you know,” she grins, tilting her chin toward his uncovered body. “I know how cold you get at night.”

David laughs, saying he wasn’t sure what the protocol was. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he aquieces, wiggling the covers out from under his body. He pulls the sheet to his waist, looking over at her again. 

She just smiles, lost in his baby blues for a moment, thinking how nice it is to finally have him in their bed again. Regina shrugs a shoulder up as a yawn escapes her, whispering, “Goodnight, David.”

He smiles down at her and reaches over, clicking his bedside lamp off, drowning the room in darkness. The moonlight shines through the crack in the curtain, and she settles into a comfortable position. Staring at his profile, she can’t help but smile. He may be conflicted, but he’s here, and he clearly wants this to work. And she’ll stick by him no matter what. He’s her husband, her soulmate, and she’s not going anywhere. 

She falls asleep that night with a smile on her face, happy to have made more progress with him tonight and elated to finally get a good night’s sleep for the first time in weeks with him by her side.

{**************************}

_ Thoughts?  _

_ Also, leave a review or DM some flashbacks y’all would like for me to try and incorporate… what moments from the past seven years of their lives do *you* want to see? I’ll try to work some of them in if they fit with the flow of the next few chapters! Thanks! :) _


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter 5**

David sits back, taking a bite of his breakfast and enjoying the scene in front of him. He enjoys moments like this - moments where they can just be a family, all four of them together, enjoying a lazy morning before the kids rush off the school and the adults to work. He chuckles when he hears Olivia’s giggles and looks over to where she sits beside Regina at the kitchen table.

“He’s kicking me, Mama!” Olivia giggles, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. She lowers her hand, pressing it onto another spot of Regina’s stomach, waiting patiently for another kick. His daughter is so adorable, always so enthralled with what her baby brother is doing inside her mama’s belly. He loves that, loves that his children all care about each other so dearly.

“Remember, sweetheart,” Regina says, reaching out to run a hand through Olivia’s long hair, “he’s not actually kicking  _ you _ , it’s just his way of saying hi.”

Their daughter nods, rubbing Regina’s stomach one more time before straightening herself in the chair and taking another bite of pancake. 

David pulls his eyes from Regina, over to Olivia, watching her chew her food. “Is your breakfast good?” he asks her when she finishes chewing. Olivia tells him it is, and then he looks over to Henry, asking him the same. He knows his children love him, they tell him that often, but he’s trying so hard still to make a good impression on them. 

Henry grins at him, wiping the side of his mouth. “Yeah,” he chuckles. “It’s really good. Thanks, David.”

David beams proudly. He’d made the pancakes this morning while he let Regina sleep a little bit  longer. She’d looked so peaceful, and he didn’t want to disturb her, so he’d slipped out of their warm bed and made his way quietly down the stairs to prepare breakfast for his family before their busy days got started. He’d been wanting to help out more around the house now that he had his bearings straight and knows where things are without having to ask someone each time he needed anything. Regina had smiled brightly, thanking him, while she cut up some fruit to go along with them when she finally emerged from upstairs. 

“You did a wonderful job, babe,” Regina tells him, smiling softly at him from across the table. The pet name slipping so effortlessly from her lips, Regina seemingly forgetting that she hasn’t called him that yet since he woke up from his accident, that he just smirks to himself, sipping on his orange juice to hide the amusement behind his cup before she can notice. It’s cute,  _ babe _ , and he has the fleeting thought that he could get used to hearing her call him that. 

Olivia takes a few more bites, then climbs into Regina’s lap, running her fingers through her mother’s dark locks as she lays her head on her shoulder. The sight of mother and daughter together warms his heart, and he grins over at them.

“Are you sleepy still?” he hears Regina ask their little girl. 

Olivia nods slowly, yawning into Regina’s chest. Henry yawns too from where he sits next to David, and he looks over, asking the teenager why he’s so tired. 

Henry ducks his head sheepishly as Regina eyes him suspiciously. “Did you stay up late talking to Grace?”

David chuckles to himself at the look of astonishment on his wife’s face as she interrogates the boy. When he woke up from his coma, Henry was still a kid in his mind, so he has to remind himself that he’s now a teenager, almost a young adult. He knows things are changing for Henry - staying up late talking to girls, going on dates, and God knows what else - but he’ll let Regina handle this one for now, telling himself he needs to make sure Henry has had “the talk” already. If not, he’ll need to sit down and have a man-to-man chat to make sure his son is being safe. Henry finally sighs and admits that, yes, he’d called Grace and they’d ended up talking far longer than planned. 

Olivia giggles, saying, “Henry’s in trouuuuubleeee.”

Henry rolls his eyes, letting out an exasperated  _ Mooomm _ , and Regina shakes her head, huffing and saying they’ll talk about it later as she rubs Olivia’s back slowly. David watches the exchange, trying to contain his merriment at the situation and the facial expressions being exchanged between mother and son. He remembers what it was like to be a teenager being raised by a single mother, and trying to hide certain aspects of his life from her. And even though Henry has had him around the last seven years as a father figure, he doesn’t remember exactly how open his step-son had been with him about girls just yet in his life.

Regina sighs, rubbing a hand over her forehead as she tells them they both will be going to bed early tonight to make sure they catch up on their sleep, and both children nod solemnly, clearly knowing there’s no use in arguing with their mother. 

Regina adds a pointed  _ and you’ll be leaving your cell phone in the living room tonight, young man _ toward Henry who just grunts and nods again in reply with a slight roll of his eyes that Regina raises her eyebrows at before she asks, “And why didn’t you sleep, missy?” to Olivia, peering down into her big, blue eyes. Olivia shrugs, another small yawn escaping her lips as she tells Regina that she was having weird dreams and kept waking up.

Regina looks concerned, eyebrows furrowing as she brings a gentle hand up to sweep across Olivia’s forehead. She leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and cuddling her closer. “Was it a bad dream?”

“No,” Olivia sighs, sitting up straighter in Regina’s lap. “Just weird.”

“What do you mean by weird, sweetheart?”

Olivia sighs again, this time more exasperatedly with a tiny roll of her eyes up to the ceiling before looking back at Regina, and David grins at her mannerisms - so like her mother with her sassy attitude. “The baby was here,” she tells the table, twisting her torso to peer over at Henry and David, “and he was running around, stealing my toys and throwing them down the stairs, but then there was a clown at the bottom of the stairs who kept picking them up and stuffing them into his sleeves.” Olivia rambles on, shrugging and telling them with an animated purse to her lips about the strange dream she’d had, causing everyone at the table to laugh, including Henry who was clearly over his bout of teenage attitude from moments ago as he laughs at his sister too. David pats Henry on the shoulder as they all chuckle at the youngest family member, and he smiles over at his step-son, enjoying this moment and not wanting it to end.

Regina wraps her arms around Olivia, bringing her back to lay against her chest, belly pressed snugly between them. David looks over to Henry and seeing that he’s engrossed in his phone once more, looks back to watch his wife and daughter interact. Damn, she really is breathtakingly beautiful, even with her slightly mussed hair that she hadn’t brushed yet this morning and no makeup on her face (not that she needs it, she’s gorgeous just the way she is). Regina is such a good mother as well, so loving and concerned for her children’s happiness that it makes David’s smile grow even wider. He isn’t sure, but he has a feeling that was a quality that helped him fall in love with her all those years ago. Regina murmurs into Olivia’s hair that if she ever has a bad dream, or another weird dream, she can always climb into bed with her and daddy. 

David smiles again, thinking back to the past two mornings, waking up beside Regina. He’d finally asked her if he could sleep in their bed Saturday night after their date, and he hasn’t left since. Waking up next to her, seeing those gorgeous, brown eyes first thing in the morning, have been a highlight of the past two days. 

“I know I can,” Olivia says, sitting up and kissing Regina on the cheek. It sends a shot of warmth to David’s heart watching them talk softly with one another, Regina’s hands constantly rubbing soothing patterns along their daughter’s back or running fingers through her hair. He smiles to himself, knowing that he’s starting to care for Regina much more deeply than just as a friend. It confuses him, though. 

His heart still feels as if it’s in love with Snow, but now it also has feelings for Regina. It’s beyond befuddling, more so than when he was just battling his memories versus his heart. Now his heart is at war with itself. He makes a mental note to talk with Archie about it today, seeking advice from the therapist has been helpful so far, and he hopes the good doctor can help sort out the mess that is his heart. 

Pulling himself from his thoughts, he hears Regina telling both kids to run upstairs and brush their teeth. “The school bus will be here soon for you,” she reminds, tapping Olivia on the nose. “And you need to get going if you want to pick up Grace in time for school,” she informs Henry, looking over to where he’s still typing away on his phone. 

The teenager looks up, smiling happily at his mother. David makes a mental note to ask Regina about how much time Henry spends on his phone, curious if it’s the normal teenage amount. He wants Henry to be present and  _ here _ with them, not wanting to lose anymore time with his step-son than he’s already lost. Henry walks over, pressing a kiss to Regina’s cheek before obeying, telling her he loves her and running up the stairs, chasing Olivia the whole way while making growling monster sounds at her. 

The little girl’s squeals of laughter radiate throughout the house, causing Regina and David to both smile at each other. 

“Henry loves his little sister,” David states, standing to collect the cups from the table. 

Regina chuckles, saying that’s an understatement, and picking up the plates from their breakfast. They walk into the kitchen together, talking and giggling with one another as if they’re the kids of the house, David smiling the whole time at how comfortable he is around his wife finally. 

{***************************}

“I’m glad we both have the morning off,” David tells her, coming to stand behind her at the sink. She’s rinsing their dishes off from breakfast, placing them in the washer. 

“Mm,” she hums, nodding her head. Her breath hitches when David’s hands find purchase on her hips. Her spine straightens, not wanting to ruin the moment by asking him what he’s doing. He’s been letting her in little by little ever since their date at Granny’s two nights ago - sleeping in their bed again and waking up with their hands intertwined between their bodies had been an amazing feeling. They’d spent yesterday strolling around town together, picking up items for the baby. David had helped her pick out a handful of new outfits, while she picked up a box of diapers and a stuffed giraffe. When they had gotten home, she’d perched herself in the glider rocker while directing David, telling him exactly where to hang the picture frames that she loved so much.

He’d teased her about still being so bossy, responding with a mumbled, “Yes, Your Majesty,” each time she made him move an animal portrait over half an inch. She’d laughed, shaking her head at his playful antics, feeling like the old David was slowly returning.

“You look gorgeous this morning, by the way,” he flirts, the warmth from his words and hands causing her cheeks to heat, and she can feel the blush rising to her skin.

“I’m in my pajamas, David,” she dismisses with a casual shrug of one shoulder, biting her bottom lip and fiddling with the plate in her hand nervously, rinsing it off to distract herself from the way her husband’s words make her feel.

David chuckles, taking a small step back. She can feel the heat from his body radiating in the small space between them, however, as he continues with his banter, telling her he likes her pajamas. “I’m a fan of those tight dresses, of course,” he quips, and she can practically hear the wink he’s giving her behind her back, causing her to smirk, “But these cotton shorts are a nice change.”

She chuckles, loving this but also feeling confused. Regina turns off the water, shaking the plate before bending down to place it in the dishwasher. She can feel David’s eyes on her ass, so she clears her throat, saying, “Anyway,” as she straightens her spine, “It’ll be nice for you to go to my appointment with me today.”

David smiles, reaching out to turn her to face him. He takes a step back so his fingertips just barely graze her hip bones, the bubble of flirtation popped as he tells her he’s excited to go see Whale with her, but Archie as well. “I have a lot I want to discuss with him.”

Regina nods, smiling wistfully, not wanting to ask him what exactly he needs to talk about. She wants to give him some space to heal - and his therapy is a good place to keep off limits for now.

“It’ll also be nice to spend some more time just the two of us,” he says flippantly, grinning before turning to walk out of the kitchen.

She blinks. Confused. He’s been making little comments like that the past two days, and her heart isn’t sure if it can handle it. She wants her husband so badly - wants his memories and his touches, his kisses, his everything. The way he was touching her waist just moments ago still stuck in her mind. These pregnancy hormones, on top of her normal amount of lust for her husband, will be the death of her. 

As she watches him leave the room, telling her he’s going to shower, she groans softly at the mental image. Regina trails behind him, walking up the stairs to prepare for the day. 

She watches him walk into their bathroom, giving her a small smile as he does. Regina sighs, closing the bedroom door and leaning against it. She lets her head thud gently against the back of the door, closing her eyes for a moment. Breathing deeply, she tries to push the mental image of his naked body under the shower spray from her mind, but she can’t. She’s seen that body one too many times to simply vanquish the mental image. Her husband is gorgeous - toned and muscular in all the right places. She takes another shuddering breath, opening her eyes and walking over to their bed. She needs to shower as well, needs to get ready, but there’s a throbbing between her legs that she needs to take care of before she does anything else today. She won’t be able to concentrate on much else if she’s aching down below the entire day. 

Regina leans back, propping her head up with an extra pillow. She glances toward the bathroom, listening for the running water and checks that the door is closed (even though the kids are gone, it still makes her feel funny to do this with a wide open door). Her hand trails down, slipping beneath the cotton shorts she’d slept in last night. Her finger sinks in, and she moans. She’s already wetter than she thought, so she slips another digit in, pressing firmly to her core. Her hips writhe, shifting side to side as she rides her fingers. Without much thought, she brings her thumb to rub her clit, imagining it’s David’s hands doing all the work, praying he didn’t forget anything for his shower so he won’t have to come back out to their bedroom just yet. She whimpers, half in pleasure and half at the longing overwhelming her body at wanting her husband to be the one buried deep inside her. She wants more than his fingers - his mouth would be amazing - but she wants his cock more than anything. Wants him pounding into her in that delicious way he does. 

She reaches up with her other hand, pushing her tank top up over her belly. Regina moves the sports bra she has on over her full breasts, giving her nipple a light rub, working it into a hard nub before grazing over and doing the same to the other. She pinches the hardened peak, testing how sensitive she is. A louder moan escapes her this time at the sensation, making her glad David is in the shower and the kids are off to school already. Her nipples are much more sensitive than they were the last time they were touched, so she eases back, giving them both soft, circular motions as her other hand still presses against her clit. She rubs hard circles, presses firm fingers against her wet core as she clamps her mouth shut, not wanting David to hear her moans from the next room somehow. 

It only takes a few more circular motions in the right spot to have her squirming beneath her own touch, quietly moaning David’s name as she comes on her fingers. 

With a sigh, she brings her hand from beneath her shorts and pulls her sports bra and tank down over the stomach. She lays there a moment, catching her breath and trying not to imagine David in the shower anymore. 

After a few quiet minutes, she finally sits up, heaving out a breath as she forces her limbs to carry her to the closet and pick out an outfit for today while David finishes his shower. She strips out of her pajamas, standing there in her bra and underwear. She realizes she needs clean underwear for when she gets out of the shower, so she steps out of the closet, momentarily forgetting her robe, and making her way over to her dresser. Pulling out a red, lace thong, she feels goosebumps rise on her skin, reminding her that she didn’t put anything over her body. She turns quickly for the closet, preparing to slip it on and find an outfit for work before getting in the shower.

As she does, though, her gaze suddenly locks with David’s wide, blue eyes, her mouth falling slightly agape. He’s standing in the doorway of their bathroom, towel tied around his hips as water droplets ripple down his chest. Her steps falter, wishing she’d remembered her silk robe as she stands there, belly protruding out between her black bra and thong. Fucking pregnancy brain.

“D-David,” she stutters, moving her hands awkwardly to try and cover her body somehow. She shouldn’t be embarrassed, this is her husband after all, and he’s seen her naked more times than anyone else. But this is different,  _ they _ are different right now. This is the first time he’s seen her body since before the accident, and she can feel her skin flush, wishing she’d been able to better prepare for this. 

He clears his throat, teasing in a light tone, “No need to cover up on my account,” before looking down quickly to where one hand is covering her lower half and the other is attempting to cover her cleavage. His eyes snap back up to hers, a sheepish smile growing on his face. “You look,” he murmurs, tripping on his own words as he breathes out, “amazing.”

She twists her lips, shrugging one shoulder up as she tells him she forgot her robe and was about to go grab it before he got out. He chuckles through the sexual tension in the room, and looks over to the closet on the other side of the room. “I, uh,” he starts, clearing his throat again, “I can go back in here while you do... i-if you want,” he finishes, motioning his head toward the bathroom. 

Regina rolls her eyes, scoffing to herself at how ridiculous this is. This is her  _ husband _ . She shouldn’t be embarrassed at him seeing her in only her underwear, but she is, only because she knows they can’t do anything about it right now. David doesn’t care for her like that, he’s not ready to be intimate with her, she assumes. Normally she’d walk around their room in her underwear without thinking about it, David sometimes surprising her by taking her right then and there, making them both late for work. She shakes her head, though, making her way toward the closet, shuffling her feel in an awkward side step so he won’t see her ass cheeks thanks to the thong that covers literally nothing. 

Grabbing her robe, she slips it on as she hears David rummaging through the dresser. She comes back out, more covered now, and gives him a small smile while tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. He’s standing there, still wrapped in his towel, clothes in hand. He’s walking toward the bed to lay his clothes down and change, and he gives her small, unsure smile. “I’m just,” Regina says, pointing at the bathroom, “gonna… yeah…” She shakes her head, sighing and rolling her eyes as she turns quickly and shuts the bathroom door.

She has to hurry now, she’s wasted some of her time fingering herself this morning (and she might need to again later now, thanks to seeing David’s naked torso), but if she skips washing her hair, then she can be in and out in no time. 

{********************************}

“How is everyone this morning?” Dr. Whale asks, stepping into the exam room. Regina smiles, nodding at the doctor. David shakes his hand as the doctor smiles at him, telling him it’s good to see him. The heated attraction from their run in this morning in the bedroom had luckily dissipated for now, Regina focusing more on her excitement of checking up on their baby. He’d been thinking about her half naked body ever since he saw her, the image of her round, full breasts that she couldn’t quite cover and her toned legs had made him grow hard quicker than he ever remembers before. He’d had to rub one out quickly while she was in the shower at the thought of her gorgeous body he’d gotten a glimpse of.  “Let’s see how this baby is doing then, shall we?”

They’d gotten Regina’s weight before taking her back to the exam room, so Whale looks over her chart, saying everything looks good so far with her weight and blood that they had taken. David didn’t realize how much went in to a doctor’s visit - he just thought they’d come in and look at the baby. He didn’t understand that before the doctor even saw her, Regina would be poked and prodded, and asked questions about her pregnancy ranging from  _ Are you feeling any movement? _ to  _ Have you had any liquid discharge or spotting? _ , whatever that meant. It was all very foreign to him. The only pregnancy he remembers is Snow’s with Emma in the Enchanted Forest, and they certainly didn’t ask all those questions or have all these instruments to check on the baby’s progress in the other realm. He knows he experienced Olivia’s appointments, Regina already told him that he was very involved, but he doesn’t remember any of those yet. 

Whale picks up a tube of liquid as Regina lifts her shirt, shifting on the table to get more comfortable. David reaches out, helping her situate her shirt and immediately regretting it when a pang of lust hits him in the middle of the doctor’s office. His fingertips had grazed against the warm skin of her side as he helped tuck her shirt up under her bra, and that split second of contact had done more things to his body than he anticipated. He was already struggling this morning from seeing so much of her skin earlier, so he sighs, willing his mind not to think about her body in this moment. He pulls up the stool, sitting down and praying he doesn’t have a boner when he stands up. David shakes his head, cursing himself for having such inappropriate thoughts while they’re trying to check on his child, but he tells himself he’ll think about her warm, olive skin later tonight when he’s in the shower again, alone (twice in one day never hurt a man).

Huffing at himself, David brings his mind back to the present, wanting to be here and experience this moment with Regina. It’s the first appointment he’s been to since his accident, and he’s excited to hear their little guy’s heartbeat. 

Whale squirts the gel onto Regina’ belly, moving it around with the head of the wand. He settles the instrument in one particular spot, and suddenly the room is filled with a tiny  _ thud thud thud _ sounding from the machine on the other side of Regina. David’s eyes fill with tears as he reaches for Regina’s hand, squeezing it lovingly, and sighing out a  _ Wow _ into the space between them. Regina looks over at him, smiling brightly. She squeezes his hand back, telling him that’s their son. 

_ “There she is!” David exclaims, leaning over Regina’s belly to look more closely at the small monitor. “That’s our girl.” _

_ Regina reaches up, wiping a tear from under her eye. “Yeah,” she breathes, looking at the screen. “Look at her.” _

_ David smiles down at his wife, leaning to press a kiss to her lips. “She’s so tiny,” he states, looking back at the machine. Whale laughs, nodding and telling them that she’s only the size of beef tomato right now, but will start growing quicker as the weeks go by. David breathes out an astonished laugh, amazed by the technology of this world that allows him to see his daughter already.  _

_ Whale tells them of a 4D ultrasound they can do later that will show them more distinct features if they want, and David smiles, tears forming in his own eyes to match those of his wife’s. _

_ “David,” Regina sniffles, looking up to him. She brings her hand up to cup his scruffy cheek, pulling him down to kiss her once more. “This is really happening,” she chuckles wetly, looking back at the screen. “That’s our daughter.” _

_ David grins, running a hand through Regina’s hair before placing another peck to the top of her head. “I love you so much, Regina,” he tells her. “Thank you for carrying our little miracle in there.” He places his hand on the side of stomach, avoiding getting the gel on his hands, and Regina smiles, another tear slipping out of her eye.  _

A tear falls from David’s eye, and he reaches up, wiping it away quickly. “I just remembered us seeing Olivia on the ultrasound,” he tells her, squeezing her hand lovingly. 

“You did?” she smiles widely, her eyes starting to water. She loves when he remembers things, he knows she does, though he suspects it also hurts her that his emotions don’t come with those memories. 

He nods, and Whale asks if he’s had many more memories come back since they last talked, and David nods again, saying he’s had a few. The doctor smiles, moving the wand around Regina’s belly absentmindedly as he tells them excitedly that that’s a good sign. 

Whale reaches for some tissue, handing it to Regina to clean her stomach off, and telling them to schedule their next appointment out front with the nurse. “You’ll need to come back in two weeks,” he tells then, and they both nod in understanding. 

David helps Regina off the table after she pulls her shirt down. She smiles, resting her hand on his shoulder and thanking him. 

She keeps her hand there for support, balancing against him as she wobbly bends to put her shoes on. Once finished, David leans down, pressing a quick kiss to her lips and saying he has to get going so he won’t be late for his appointment with Archie.

Regina nods, smiling up at him. She cups his cheek, giving it a soft pat, and tells him, “Go. Don’t be late.”

“I’ll see you at home tonight,” he tells her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear before shaking Whale’s hand and leaving the room.

{**************************}

“So how are things going, Regina?” Whale asks as she collects her purse from the chair in the room. 

She sighs, closing her eyes for a second. It’s taken her years to not want to kill this man on the spot, and she has to say, he’s been very kind to her throughout this whole incident with David’s memories. Perhaps he takes pity on her, she’s not sure. 

“Things have been… fine,” she concedes, looking over at him. She tightens her grip on the purse strap, hoisting it further onto her shoulder. “Though I do have some concerns.”

Whale nods, taking a seat on the stool across from her. Regina takes a deep breath, exhaling as she sits down on the chair. “David is slowly getting memories back like you saw just now,” she tells him with a small smile. “It’s like flashes of memories - he says it’s like a movie playing in his mind.”

“That’s great!” Whale exclaims, asking her what she’s concerned about. 

Twisting her lips in apprehension, trying to speak around the lump in her throat, she finally says, “I’m worried… I’m worried that he won’t ever love me again.”

Whale’s eyebrows cinch together as he questions what she means. “I thought he was getting memories back.”

She rolls her eyes, irritated all over again with him that she has to explain this. “He is, but,” she hesitates, biting on her bottom lip. “His feelings don’t come with those memories.” She explains again about how David says his flashbacks are akin to a movie playing  - it’s one he’s never seen before, but yet it feels familiar. He gets the memories back, but it’s like his brain doesn’t truly grasp them. He knows that it happened, and knows they happened to  _ him _ , but his heart doesn’t feel that same connection.

Whale tells her that that is unfortunately how it goes sometimes. Amnesia is very unpredictable. “Some people get their memories and feelings back quickly, and some never do. You just never know how a person’s body will react.”

Regina sighs, blinking back tears and running a hand through her hair. “I’m just concerned that when he gets  _ all _ of his memories back that… he still won’t love me like he did before.”

She hates this. Hates admitting something so vulnerable to Whale of all people, the man who tricked her into believing Daniel could be brought back to life, but he’s the doctor. If anyone can give her hope for David’s recovery, it’s him. Though based on his words a moment ago, he can’t give her that reassurance. 

He tells her that again, looking at her sympathetically. “I’m sorry, Regina,” he tells her seriously. “There’s just no way to know how his mind will react to the trauma he’s been through.” The doctor gives her a small amount of hope, though, saying the fact that it’s only been a little over a month and he’s already getting memories back is a great sign. “Who knows,” he says in a chipper voice as he stands. “Maybe one day soon, his heart will catch up with his brain.”

She smiles a small, defeated smile, nodding her head and standing. “Thank you, Dr. Whale.”

He smiles back, patting her on the back as she makes her way out of the exam room.

{***************************}

“So how have you been doing?” Archie asks as David settles into the couch. He’s come to see the therapists a few times now and truly finds that it’s been helping. He has someone not directly involved with the situation now to hear him out and help him understand what exactly his mind is going through.

David sighs, running a hand through his hair. He makes small talk for a while, telling Archie about his date with Regina and their weekend shopping trip, and how he’d just come from the doctor’s office where they got to hear their son’s heartbeat. The good doctor smiles warmly, congratulating him and telling him doing things like that are a good sign - they’re helping bring him back to Regina.

He goes still for a second, stiffening his shoulders. Archie looks at him, concerned, and asks if he’s okay. 

“Yeah,” David huffs, slumping back into the couch. “I’m just very… conflicted.”

“Conflicted how?” he hears the red-haired man asks as he covers his face with his hand. 

Pulling his hand away, he clasps them in his lap. David looks down at Pongo, who lays by his feet, and smiles, wishing he could experience a day as carefree as this dog does each day. The spotted dog must hear his thoughts because he looks up, licking his own face, before slowly slinking up onto the couch cushion next to David. He smiles, reaching a hand out to pat Pongo’s head. He can hear the clock ticking, and knows Archie is waiting patiently for him to anwer.

Looking back to the man, David says, “I know I told you the other day that I felt like my heart and my brain were warring against each other.”

“Mm,” Archie hums, nodding. “Yes, because of your deep rooted feelings for Snow conflicting with your mind telling you you were with Regina now.”

David nods slowly biting his lip. “But now I almost feel as if my heart is battling itself.”

“What do you mean?” Archie sits a little straighter, bending one knee over the other as he clicks his pen, jotting a note down in his journal. 

David makes eye contact with Pongo once more, absentmindedly running a hand along the dog’s back. “I…” he starts, pausing to take a deep breath. He hasn’t admitted this to anyone but himself, and it scares him. “I think I’m falling in love with Regina.”

Archie looks up from his notebook, a large smile on his face. “That’s wonderful, David,” he encourages, then reminds with a pointed look, “She’s your wife.”

David let’s out a breathy chuckle through his nose, nodding his head again. “I know, I know.” He takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly before telling Archie how he’s been spending so much time with her, and he’s seen a whole new side to his wife. “She’s amazing,” he gushes, smiling fondly at the memory of Regina cuddled on the couch with Olivia the other night, and how she’d sat at the dining room table, going over Henry’s math homework with him one evening. He tells Archie how she’s a wonderful mother, but not only that, she’s funny and caring and genuinely a nice person. “I never realized how much I’d have in common with the Queen,” he chuckles. “Or how nicely we’d get along and just… fit.”

Archie smiles, writing a bit more in his notebook again, nodding the whole time. “So what’s causing your heart to be at war?”

David closes his eyes, opening them hesitantly as he tells Archie that his heart also still feels like it belongs to Snow. “I was married to her for so long,” he says dejectedly. “I fought so hard to be with her in the Enchanted Forest, we went through so much… I just feel like…” he stops, shaking his head as a lump forms in his throat. “I feel like I’m cheating on my wife with my wife.”

His shoulders slump, and Archie looks up at him sympathetically, pushing his glasses back on his nose. “Let me ask you this,” he says, pointing his pen in David’s direction. “ _ Do _ you have feelings for Snow still? Or does your heart just think it  _ should _ because of your history with her?”

Archie reminds him that, yes, he was married to Snow, but marriages end all the time. Snow has moved on, she’s married to Mulan now, and they have their amazing little boys. David huffs, scrubbing his hand that isn’t rubbing Pongo down his face and around to his neck. He drops his hand, conceding. “I know she is, and I’m so happy for her, but,” he shrugs, feeling defeated. “I don’t know.”

He sits for a moment, Archie giving him time to process everything. David thinks back to his life with Snow - how they’d been separated more times than he could count, how they were always on the go despite him always wanting to just settle into a quiet farm house for the rest of his days. Then they’d been married, gotten pregnant soon after, and then the curse was cast. They’d spent more time apart than they actually did together if he’s remembering correctly. Then David thinks of Regina and how she’s been over the past month. He remembers how excited she had looked when he’d first woken up from the coma, thinks back to the memories that have returned, though his feelings haven’t, he still knows, deep down, that he has been beyond happy with Regina - the glimpses of their time dating, him proposing and the flashes of their wedding he’d gotten. He thinks about them raising Henry and having Olivia together, and seeing his newest son on the monitor today. He smiles, shaking his head at himself. Despite losing his memory and not remembering the last seven years, he’s been extremely happy the past five weeks with his family.

_ “Hang it there,” Regina giggles, settling herself into the blue glider with a cup of warm tea. He shimmies the picture to the left, teasing her by purposefully putting it in the wrong spot.  _

_ “How about there?” he asks, looking over his shoulder at his wife. She rolls her eyes with a smirk on her face, trying to conceal it behind her mug.  _

_ “You’re an idiot,” she chuckles. _

_ David laughs, moving it back to the original spot, and confirming that is the place she wants it. “I don’t want to put it in the wrong place, Your Majesty,” he jests, chuckling when she tosses a stuffed giraffe in his direction.  _

_ “Hey!” he taunts, poking his rear out in her direction to try and fend off the flying toy. “I’m trying to hang this picture, Regina. This is serious business.” _

_ She chuckles again, a sound he’s come to realize he loves hearing, and murmurs a sarcastic, “Oh, sure you are,” in his direction.  _

_ He finally gets the three animal portraits hung in the correct spot, taking a step back to look at them. Regina stands, rubbing a hand over her stomach as she comes to stand beside him, looking at the pictures herself. David looks over to her, then down to her stomach. He reaches up and places a hand to her belly, gently rubbing a circular motion there.  _

_ Regina smiles, placing her hand on top of his, looping her fingers around his palm. It sends a jolt of warmth through his body, and in this moment, he realizes that he might feel more for his wife than he previously thought. She’s warm and comforting and somehow feels like  _ home _. _

_ Blinking, he breaks their eye contact, bending down to talk to her belly. “Hey, little man,” he says, causing Regina’s stomach to bounce in one particular spot. He looks up at her excitedly, pointing and asking if she felt that.  _

_ “It’s in my body, David,” she replies dryly, a light chuckle escaping through her nose. “Of course I did.” _

_ He smirks, rolling his eyes in jest at her and looking back to her stomach. “You be nice to your mama, okay?” he asks, telling their son not to kick too hard. “You kept her up last night with all that kicking.” _

_ “Did I wake you up?” she asks with concern in her voice. “I tried not to.” _

_ He looks up at her again, shrugging, saying, “It’s fine. I felt you get out of bed a few times, and you were tossing and turning a lot.” _

_ She apologizes, but he promises her it’s okay. “I was more comfortable last night in our bed than I’ve been since I woke up in the hospital.” _

_ Regina smiles fondly down at him, bringing her hand up to run through his hair. He shivers at the contact, turning his head to peer at her stomach once more. “If you promise to not kick Mama so hard, I promise I’ll sign you up for soccer lessons as soon as I can.” _

_ Their son seems to get the message, giving his hand a gentler kick this time. They both chuckle as David stands, leaning in to press a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “Come on,” he says, reaching down to take her hand. “Let’s go make dinner for the kids.” _

David smiles, remembering back to just the other night and their little moment in the nursery. He’s attracted to Regina, is definitely falling for her, and as wonderful as that feels, it also scares him.

He sighs as he pulls himself out of the memory. Looking to Archie, he tells him, “I  _ know _ I’m not married or in love with Snow anymore, my brain is well aware of that, but,” he shakes his head, hating these conflicting feelings raging through his body. Tears form in the base of his eyelids, and he blinks in rapid succession to stop them from falling. He’s frustrated with himself - with his heart, his mind, his body. He just wants to feel normal again. “My heart still aches when I see her with Mulan because I haven’t  _ fully _ grasped that we both moved on so easily after Snow came back from the Enchanted Forest.”

Archie tilts his head, inquiring, “ _ Did _ you both move on so easily?” 

David’s brow furrows and he tells him that all his memories he’s gotten back seem to tell him they did, he was practically dating Regina while Snow was missing, only going back to her because Regina told him to, according to what his wife and ex-wife had told him the day he woke up. Archie tells him about their struggle to make it work those first few months she was back. He says David was torn back then, as was Snow, because they both were in love with other people, but they felt as if they  _ had _ to stay together. “You and Snow both forced yourselves not to be with the ones you loved for months on end, being tortured by a longing you each felt for Regina and Mulan, until Emma finally told both of you to stop being ridiculous idiots.”

David chuckles, shaking his head and saying that  _ certainly sounds like Emma. _

Archie smiles, reminding him that just because he  _ feels _ like he moved on so quickly from Snow, he really didn’t. He fought hard to preserve his marriage, but in the end, neither one of them wanted it to work out. They’d moved on, and that was okay. 

“I want to give you an assignment for this week,” Archie says, and David sits up, clasping his hands together in his lap once more. 

Pongo’s head perks up, nosing David’s hand in a silent request to pet him again. David grins, reaching out to the dog. “What is it, Doc?”

“I want you to spend more time with Regina,” Archie says, tilting his head down to look at him over the rim of his glasses. “Just Regina.” He tells him that he knows they’ve gone on a date, and have spent hours upon hours together with the kids, but, “I want you to get to know your wife more,  _ without _ your children around. You may be married, but you are in the unique situation where it’s almost as if you’re dating her for the first time as well.”

David chuckles softly, nodding his head as he agrees, knowing it’ll be great for them both to spend some time together, just the two of them. “I think I can do that.”

He and Archie talk for a few more minutes, brainstorming things David could do with Regina. Archie also slips in that it’s alright, good even, to be intimate with his wife again, claiming it might help build back a part of their connection that is lost. David blushes, admitting to Archie what had happened this morning. Archie asks the typical  _ and how did that make you feel? _ And David grins, rubbing his neck. This is awkward, no doubt, talking about his lustful thoughts to a man whom he’s considered a great friend for so long, but one he never talked so openly with about these kinds of things. He reminds himself that this is part of therapy though, being completely open, so he divulges to Archie how he’d wanted Regina in that moment and how he took matters into his own hands, quite literally - tells him how it wasn’t just seeing her body, but it was a combination of his growing feelings for her and seeing so much of her skin.

“She was,  _ is, _ gorgeous,” he claims, smiling to himself at the thought of her stunned, chocolate eyes and how quickly she’d tried to cover herself up. He chuckles, telling Archie the whole, awkward story then. The therapist lets out a small chuckle of his own, saying it sounds like the sexual tension is growing between them, which is good, healthy even for them as a married couple. He encouraged David not to rush into it, of course, and David smirks, nodding his head in agreement. He thinks back to this morning again and seeing her stunning body, and thinks that being intimate might be a good step to take after a few more dates. He is attracted to his wife, that’s more than clear, but he doesn’t want to rush into anything, wants to make sure they’re completely comfortable with each other before taking that next step. David decides that actually  _ kissing _ his wife might be a good place to start. Sure, he’s kissed her cheeks or peppered light pecks to her lips, but never fully kissed those luscious, plump lips that he sees so often in his dreams. Nodding to himself, he picks a few more date night activities with Archie’s help, telling himself he’ll ask Regina on another date soon.

So David stands, shaking Archie’s hand, and makes his way from the therapist’s office. He feels lighter, more relaxed, and he makes a mental note to thank Archie again the next time he sees him. As he climbs into his truck, he notices the time. It’s almost lunch time, and he knows his wife will most likely work through lunch trying to catch up on assignments she missed this morning during her doctor’s appointment. He can’t have that, though, he concludes, starting his car and driving in the direction of Granny’s. David decides he’ll pick them up some lunch from their favorite diner and surprise Regina in her office. It’ll be a nice start to taking Archie’s advice of spending more time together to help David discover exactly what he’s truly feeling for her - though he already knows, deep down, what his feelings are. He’s in love with his wife. Now his brain just needs to catch up with what his heart is beginning to feel once again so that he can move on with his life and learn to love Regina the way she deserves. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

It’s been two weeks. Two weeks since his session with Archie where his friend encouraged him to take his wife out on dates. It had been amazing advice, really. He’s been able to get a handful of moments alone with Regina since that day - lunches in her office or at the station, a walk through the park after a candlelit dinner. They’d even gone shopping again, casually strolling through downtown together, hand in hand, while Regina looked in the windows at all the displays. He’s gotten to know her more, or, well, re-learned things about her that he’s positive he already knew about his wife. He’s learned what makes her laugh, what makes her sad and what pushes her buttons. 

He knows she loves moments with their family, secluded away in their home, best. She’s never been one to like feeling as if she’s on display, a trait, no doubt, embedded in her after so many royal balls and having to play the part of the perfect wife. She’s not as on display here in Storybrooke, but she claims their quiet moments, just the four (soon to be five) of them are her favorites above anything else. Family has always been so important to her. 

Which is why David had planned a family movie night this evening. He’d grilled hamburgers and told Regina to relax with the kids while he did all the work, which she readily agreed to, snuggling on the couch with Olivia while Henry sat across from her, reading a story he’d written to them. After the story, the children had dog piled on the floor to play video games, letting Regina prop her feet up and just  _ be _ . 

Now that dinner has been cleaned up (thanks to him and Henry), the four of them are finally settled in for the night. While he did the dishes, Regina had popped popcorn and grabbed a box of M&M’s from her (not so) hidden stash of candy in the pantry. 

“I love this part!” Olivia giggles, climbing up on the couch to snuggle into David’s embrace. Her feet scrunch into his lap, knees almost to her chest, while her head rests in the crook of his neck, and he wonders absentmindedly how she can be comfortable like that. 

Henry looks over his shoulder from where he’s perched on the floor, back against the couch, and agrees with his sister, telling her the best part is coming up soon. They watch as little Miguel walks across the golden petal covered bridge into the Land of the Dead with his skeletal relatives. It’s a bit morbid, he thinks, but the way it’s depicted is actually adorable and walking cartoon skeletons are the least horrific thing Henry has seen in his lifetime already (David still shudders at the thought of that wraith). Olivia doesn’t seem bothered by it, bouncing her feet against his leg as the family makes their way to the gate. 

Regina sighs from her spot on the couch, a few spaces apart from him, and closes her eyes. There’s a small smile on her lips as she tilts her neck from side to side, clearly content with where she is. He grins, reaching over to pat her leg and garner her attention. Regina’s eyes pop open, turning her head to look at him. She gives him a small smile and he winks back, leaning down to press a kiss to Olivia’s head. 

Regina reaches down, stretching her hand out for Henry to pass her the bowl of popcorn and chocolate mixed together. She’d claimed earlier that it was the only way to eat the salty treat as she dumped the box of candy into the bowl as well. She readjusts, crossing her ankles over one another on the coffee table’s surface as she holds out the bowl to him. He shakes his head, motioning his eyes down to where Olivia is still pressed against him, stroking his cheek in a zombie like trance as she stares at the television unblinking. 

Regina giggles softly, placing the bowl between their bodies on the couch and nodding in understanding. 

David smiles back at his wife, bringing his hand up to rub soothing patterns up and down Olivia’s back. She sighs into his neck, settling further into his lap as she twists, facing the television more. 

Olivia reaches over, patting the couch cushion until her hand finds the bowl, reaching in to grab a handful and bring it to her mouth. 

“Not so much at once,” he murmurs into her ear, and Regina sits up, grabbing the cup of water from the coffee table and handing it to her to drink from when she finishes swallowing. 

“Okay, Daddy,” she whispers, not wanting to interrupt the movie. 

Henry reaches over his shoulder, blindly grabbing a fistful of popcorn as well, and Regina chuckles, shaking her head and mumbling to no one in particular that she needs to make separate bowls for their mesmerized children next time. 

They stay that way for the next half hour, eating their treat and enjoying the movie together, Olivia and Henry’s laughter bubbling out from them in certain parts, and Olivia singing along when her favorite songs come on. 

At some point during the movie, his daughter had slithered her body so that she was laying in the space between her parents. Her feet are propped up in Regina’s lap while her head rests on David’s thigh, head turned to still see the TV. 

David runs his fingers through her long hair and glances toward Regina. He catches her brown eyes and smiles again, tilting his head in Olivia’s direction and whispering that someone will sleep well tonight. Regina lifts her phone from the armrest, clicking it to life to see the time. It’s well past bedtime, but she shrugs, nodding and saying, “Maybe everyone will sleep in tomorrow morning.”

He smiles, making a mental note to keep the kids occupied downstairs in the morning to let Regina sleep a bit later. She reaches out, bringing her hand to scratch lightly at Olivia’s back before looking up at him again and biting her lip in excitement at the thought of sleeping in. 

God, he loves when she does that. It’s so sexy, yet he doesn’t think she means for it to be. She’s gorgeous, and not only that, but she’s everything he ever imagined his wife to be - funny, smart, easy to get along with… his feelings for her have been growing over the past two weeks, and even though his old feelings haven’t returned with the memories he’s received, he thinks he might just be able to fall in love with her all over again - memories or not.

Suddenly, he’s bombarded with a flashback. His eyes slam shut and he tilts his head, as if trying to get away from a bad smell - face twisting in pain. “David?” he hears Regina ask, and he can feel her hand grip his bicep. She doesn’t sound alarmed, she’s used to this by now, but just curious. David can hear Henry and Olivia quietly asking if he’s okay and he tries to nod, wanting to assure his children that he’s fine. Regina does it for him, promising he’ll be back to his normal self in a few moments. He takes a deep, calming breath, letting the memory wash over his brain like a wave crashing onto the sand.

_ He was nervous. It was the first time Regina had agreed to go out with him, alone, since Mary Margaret and Emma had returned. Sure, they’d gone out while his family was gone over the last year - to Granny’s, to the park, even the movies, but always with Henry. His moments stolen with her during that time were always in her office, or the mansion, his loft, or even the station when no one was locked up. This, though, this was different. This was her allowing people to see them for what they finally, actually, were. A couple. Everyone already knew, and mostly accepted that, but to her this was different.  _

_ His family has been gone for fifteen months, and despite him knowing (and telling her of) his feelings since month ten, and practically dating since month eleven, even though she would just call them “friend dates”, this is the first time she’s allowed him to call this a date. A real date. With his girlfriend (no matter how guilty that makes her feel, claiming once Snow is back, she knows he’ll need to be with her - which makes him roll his eyes.) He’d wined and dined her a few weeks ago in the comfort of her home, and she’d allowed him into her bed for the first time, but she was so overwhelmed with guilt the next morning that she hadn’t spoken to him for the next two days. It had taken him a few days of pleasant phone calls, jokes to make her laugh, and enough flowers to fill her entire office before she accepted what they’d done and given in to her feelings, accepting his offer of a real date, out in public. _

_ “What is this movie about anyway?” she asks, taking his hand as they walk into the theatre.  _

_ He looks down, smiling at their interlocked digits, then roams his gaze back up to meet her beautiful eyes. “It’s the Avengers. You know, all those superheros that Henry is always reading about?” _

_ “Did you tell him we were going to see this without him?” she inquires with a smirk, shaking her head. “He’s going to be quite upset with you, Prince Charming.” _

_ His eyes widen, not thinking about his grandson’s reaction to learning they saw the new movie without him. “Oh, crap…” _

_ She giggles, swatting at his chest and assuring him it’ll be fine. “We can take him to see it again next weekend,” Regina amends. “This will be our screening to make sure it’s alright for children his age.” _

_ David grins, nodding and saying that sounds like a good plan.  _

_ She looks over the posters hanging on the walls, the ones displaying what movies are currently playing, while they wait to order their popcorn and candy. Her eyes widen, and she looks over to David, pointing to a poster of a blonde woman with a crown on her head. “At least you didn’t try to be funny and take me to see  _ that _ ,” she jests.  _

_ He looks to where she’s pointing, reading the movie title, and chuckling. Snow White and the Huntsman. “No,” David laughs, taking her hand in his as he guides them further up the line, “I don’t suppose that would’ve been a wise first official date decision.” _

_ She snickers, rolling her eyes as they move toward the counter.  _

_ After ordering, they make their way into the theatre, noting how empty it is. They’d gotten here during the previews, so he assumed more people would be inside by now. “Tough crowd tonight.” _

_ Regina smirks, pointing to the top row. “We can sit there if you’d like.” _

_ He looks around, seeing only two other couples - one on the first row and another in the middle. He shrugs, agreeing to the top. _

_ They settle in, Regina lifting the armrest between their seats, causing him to smile. He reaches up, looping his arm around her shoulders as she settles into his side. Regina takes the box of candy, popping the lid open and holding it above the popcorn. “Do you mind?” she asks, motioning the candy toward the salty contents inside.  _

_ “Chocolate  _ in _ the popcorn?” he asks incredulously, never having tried this particular combination. _

_ She giggles and rolls her eyes, promising him that it’s delicious. She says the sweet and salty together make for a dynamic combination on your tongue.  _

_ With new thoughts of her tongue and how he can’t wait to have his dancing with hers later, he agrees, watching her in a trance like state. She’s so breathtakingly gorgeous. And he can’t believe he’s actually allowed the good fortune to date her. He’s already in love with her, he knows that, despite this being their first real date. But he’s fallen for her over the past fifteen months, getting to know the real Regina. The one she doesn’t let anyone but Henry (and now him) see.  _

_ Regina dumps the reese pieces inside the popcorn’s container and then reaches in, grabbing a dainty handful.  _

_ David sighs, grabbing a few pieces, making sure he gets popcorn  _ and _ candy like she’d instructed. He pops it in his mouth, instantly groaning at the sensation. It’s delicious.  _

_ “Told you,” she sniggers, taking another bite as the movie finally starts to play. _

_ He swallows his next bite, then leans in, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Yeah, you were right.” An admission which makes her grin proudly. _

_ Halfway through the movie, once the snack has been eaten and the trash placed on the floor (he’ll pick it up when the movie is over), he gives Regina’s shoulder a squeeze, bringing her closer to his body. She looks up at him, smiling, and he leans in, bringing his face down to hers. _

_ She sighs contentedly, tilting her head up to reach his. He presses his lips to hers, the salt and chocolate still lingering on their lips. He moans softly, deepening the kiss. The angle is awkward, sitting side by side in these chairs, but he does the best he can. He shifts his body as much as possible, tangling his fingers into her dark hair.  _

_ She pulls back, a bit breathless, and looks around as she swipes at the corner of her mouth. “Someone will see, David,” she admonishes lightly.  _

_ He chuckles, looking around dramatically at the near empty theatre. “Who? The teenagers making out in the front row? Or Mrs. Shoemaker and her husband who appears to be asleep already down there?” _

_ Regina breathes out a laugh, shaking her head at him. She takes a moment, seeming to contemplate her options as she looks around at the two couples further down. Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhales a  _ fine _ , before turning and grabbing his head, pulling it back down toward her.  _

_ David grins wolfishly, capturing her lips again and tracing the seam on her lips with his tongue. She grins into the kiss, granting him access by parting her plump lips. Regina groans in the back of her throat when his tongue makes contact with hers, pulling him even closer. If they weren’t in public, he knows she’s be straddling his lap by now, but, well, they are, so… that’s not an option.  _

_ Regina pulls back, breathing heavily. “I’m the mayor. I can’t make too big of a scene.” _

_ He laughs breathlessly, just loud enough for them to hear, and shakes his head, resituating himself in his seat. “Alright, alright,” he agrees, wrapping his arm back around her shoulders. _

_ She snuggles into his embrace again, taking his other hand in hers and giving it a squeeze, not letting go the rest of the movie.  _

David smiles at the memory. Opening his eyes, he looks over to Regina. She’s looking at him expectantly, clearly aware he was remembering something. She told him the other day when a memory came back that he gets the same look on his face - scrunched eyebrows, eyes squeezed shut, usually a hand to his head as if he has a headache all of a sudden.

“Just remembering our first movie date,” he says softly, trying not to disturb their daughter between them who has gone back to watching the movie. “I’m fine.”

Regina blushes slightly, probably remembering her out of character make out session, and brings a hand up to her growing belly. Her bump has gotten increasingly bigger over the last few weeks, and Regina has complained more of feeling uncomfortable. “Oh,” she breathes, biting her lower lip, “okay.” He smirks; he loves when she goes all shy like this. It’s so different from the Queen he once knew. He never knew she would blush so easily, but he makes a note to try and make it happen more often. 

“That was a nice date,” she tells him, and he nods, agreeing with her.

They stay like that for a beat, eyes locked on one another, before she blinks, pulling herself from their connection and faces the television again. Henry finishes off the popcorn while Olivia stays between her parents, eyes growing heavy. He’s positive she dozed off at one point, just like Regina, but she somehow keeps herself awake until the very end of the movie, watching as Mama Coco remembers her father’s song. 

When it’s over, they all stand, Henry carrying the bowl to the kitchen while Regina picks up Olivia, carrying her to bed. David clicks off the screen, folding the blankets they’d been wrapped in and heading upstairs to join his wife for bedtime kisses and cuddles with their daughter.

{************************}

“Are you excited?” Regina asks David the next afternoon, fiddling with the hem of her shirt as she situates herself on the exam table. 

They have another doctor’s appointment today, and this time they’re getting to actually see their baby. It’s not the first time they’ve gotten a glimpse of their little boy, but it’s the first time David will remember it. By the third trimester, which she’s finally in, women don’t usually need sonograms, but Whale had delicately told her that women over the age of thirty-five were encouraged to still get them. And well, considering the curse she’d cast for twenty-eight years, it’s safe to say she’s definitely in that category, so she accepted his words kindly. She doesn’t mind, not really, it’s always nice to still see a picture of her baby and how he’s doing.

“Yeah,” David breathes, taking hold of her hand and giving it a light squeeze. They make small talk for a few minutes, waiting for Dr. Whale to come in.

When he does, it’s business as usual - the typical check in questions now that she’s twenty-nine weeks along (seven months, she reminds David) about how she’s feeling, what she’s experiencing, if she’s spotting, more swelling than usual, contractions or headaches. She chuckles softly at the memory of David the other night, completely freaking out over her slight contractions (much to the amusement of Regina, Henry and Olivia) and tells the doctor that her ankles were a little swollen this past week but she kept them propped up as much as possible. Just a few contractions the other night, a lot of movement and a few headaches, normally closer to meal times. 

Whale reminds her that movement is good, and to  _ let me know if his movement ever decreases _ , which worries Regina, but she knows it’s just a routine statement, so she nods in understanding. 

The nurses had already taken her blood pressure, weight and a urine sample when she first arrived, so Whale looks over the results, saying everything looks good. He also takes measurements, informing the couple that their baby is roughly the size of a large zucchini, causing Regina to smile. 

Whale asks if they have any questions, and Regina shakes her head, but David speaks up, asking if there’s anything he can give his wife for her back pain. “Her back seems to be hurting a lot more lately.” Regina smiles over at him, loving how concerned her is for her. 

Whale grins at David, assuring him that back pain is normal for the third trimester. Their baby is growing and running out of room; Regina’s skin is stretched (which she rolls her eyes at, still frustrated with the marks on her belly), she’s put on weight (as she should be doing), and the baby is pressing on her organs, so she’s bound to be in some pain. The doctor gives them suggestions of how to help ease the pain as much as possible - like exercise to help strengthen her muscles (which she already does as much as she can with two children in the house and a town to run), heating pads and ice packs, and warm baths to soothe her aching muscles as long as the water isn’t too hot. 

David nods, jotting down the advice on his phone before locking it and putting it in his pocket once again. Looking down to Regina, he places a soft peck to the top of her head before thanking Dr. Whale.

After the routine “third trimester appointment,” Whale slides the ultrasound machine closer to them and squirts the cool gel onto her belly. It makes her jump in surprise, though she’d think she’d be used to it by now, and David rolls his chair even closer than it was, squeezing her hand he hasn’t let go of and asking if she’s alright.

Regina laughs a bit, nodding and assuring him she’s fine. “Just cold.”

David chuckles, bringing her hand up to kiss her knuckles. The small action makes her stomach woosh and her heart flutter. They’ve been dating, she supposes, over the last two weeks. He’s been surprising her with lunches or planning dinners or small outings just for them, and she couldn’t be happier. She loves her husband, no matter what he remembers, and it’s been nice to spend time with just him. Their children are wonderful, of course, and she cherishes her family moments more than anything in life, but it’s been nice to have David’s undivided attention as he gets to know her again. Aside from their dates, she’s found them staying up later some nights, resting on their sides to face each other, talking about anything and everything as David gently caresses her hardening bump. He’s been reading baby books and asking her questions each night about pregnancy - things that surprise him from the book, or horrify him when he gets to the birthing chapters - and she can’t help but laugh at his astonishment of what she’s been through once and is planning to go through again. 

“Sorry about that,” Whale apologizes, and she smiles, waving her hand to dismiss his concern. 

After a beat of silence, the room is filled with the distinct  _ thud thud thud  _ of their baby’s heart beat. She turns her head to face the screen as the doctor moves the wand around, trying to get a clear image of their son.

“Wow,” David says in wonderment, leaning closer to her to get a better look at the screen. “There’s our boy!”

Tears spring to Regina’s eyes, and she reaches up with her free hand to swipe under her eye, trying to hide the emotion overwhelming her. It’s not seeing their child - it  _ is _ \- but she knows that’s not what the tears are for. She’s thankful their baby is still safe and growing like he should be, but the fact that her baby is blissfully oblivious as he sucks his thumb on the monitor to the hell she’s going through consumes her. She knows she’s not alone, not really, David is here and trying so hard to be the husband she needs, but he still isn’t  _ her _ David, he isn’t how he used to be, and she  _ misses _ him, despite his presence right beside her. 

David lets go of her hand he’s been holding, reaching up to wipe a tear that’s found it’s way to her cheek. She looks over to him, and somehow she just  _ knows _ that he understands what her tears are for. She can see the guilt written all over his face, and she’s engulfed with guilt as well.

She shouldn’t feel alone, shouldn’t feel like she’s doing this by herself, because she’s  _ not _ , but she can’t help the way her mind feels lately.

Regina clears her throat, saying, “Yeah,” and smiling with a nod of her head. “There he is.”

She looks over to the screen again, watching as Whale takes pictures and prints a few for the couple.

Once being reassured that everything looks good but to call if anything changes, Whale leaves, letting Regina clean her stomach off and adjust her shirt back over her bump. 

There’s still a tension in the air, an awkward air that Regina wants desperately to clear between them, but she knows that talking about it will only make her cry and David feel even worse, and she doesn’t want that for either of them. 

Trying to soothe the situation, she gives her shirt one last tug and looks up at him. “You ready?” she asks with a genuine smile, reaching out her hand for him to take. 

David gives her a small smile in return, one she notes doesn’t reach his eyes fully, and leans down to grab her purse from the chair. He takes her hand, intertwining their fingers as they make their way from the exam room to collect the sonogram pictures and schedule their next appointment.

She’s taking him to lunch before they both have to go back to work, hoping it’ll take their minds off the guilt being felt by both. 

{************************}

Later that evening, David shuts off the light to the bathroom, padding over to their bed and climbing in, turning to face her. The day had been… weird. He was happy to finally see their son, but he was also overcome with guilt when he saw Regina’s face. She didn’t have to say anything, he just knew that she somehow felt isolated in all of this. And he hates it. He doesn’t want her to feel like she’s going through this by herself, but he knows there’s nothing he can do until his memories all return (if they ever do). He can’t be the man she remembers, because he doesn’t have all of that David’s memories and feelings. But he  _ can _ be the best husband possible. 

“Hey,” he says, reaching out the rub her belly. “How’s he doing?”

Regina smiles and blinks tiredly in his direction. She reaches up, letting her hand rest atop his as she tells him, “He’s fine. Finally settling down some.”

David chuckles, telling her that’s a good thing. The baby had been moving non-stop since he’d gotten home from work. Regina was already home, laying on the couch and scratching her itchy stomach, quietly pleading the baby to settle some so she could get things done around the house. They’d laughed, the tension from earlier seeming to dissipate, as he’d helped her stand up from the couch. Together, they’d cooked dinner (though it ended up being more her sitting and telling him what to do, which was fine by him) and cleaned up the living room a bit while Olivia slept and Henry was gone for a Saturday night sleepover at Emma and Chang’s apartment. 

She wasn’t completely nesting just yet, but she was adamant that they keep a clean house, no matter how much Olivia tried to destroy each room she played in. 

Giving her belly a gentle pat, David scoots closer, draping his arm over her hip. “It was amazing seeing him on the screen today.”

She tenses slightly at the mention of earlier, but relaxes, agreeing with him. David thinks back to the baby’s tiny hands reaching out in an attempt to grab at anything around him inside her womb and shakes his head at how incredible the technology of this world truly is. “I always love to do the ultrasound, love getting to see how he’s doing and how big he’s getting.”

He nods, leaning in to place a soft peck to her lips. She smiles into his lips, tilting her head up to reach him better as she returns the gesture. Their kissing hasn’t gone much beyond quick pecks, and their touching is never more than what innocent teenagers would do, but God, he longs for the day he can touch her again. Knows she probably isn’t ready - wants him to remember her before anything else happens. 

“I have another question,” he tells her, eye brightening in curiosity.

She chuckles, nodding and asking what it is. 

David takes a deep breath, saying he knows he’s never asked the specifics of their timeline. “But I can’t help but notice… I’ve lost seven years of my life, and Olivia is six, but you said Snow and I tried to make it work when she returned, and Olivia was a baby in those wedding photos I looked at the other day…” he huffs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I guess I’m just confused on when everything happened.”

Regina shifts, turning her body more and tucking her arm underneath her head. She props her head up on her hand, rubbing her stomach with the other. “That,” she laughs, “is very complicated.”

She explains that after about ten months, he’d finally admitted his feelings for her. “And I felt the same way,” she confesses, “But I wouldn’t ever tell you that. I was convinced once Snow came back that you would run back to her, so I didn’t want to let myself fully believe we loved each other.” 

He nods, murmuring how he somehow doubts he’d go back to Snow. She smiles, saying that’s exactly what he told her back then, too. 

She goes on, explaining how after Snow and Emma had been gone a full year, they were basically dating, though she wouldn’t call it that. “We were together… but  _ not _ together.” He breathes out a laugh, saying that sounds complicated.

“It was,” Regina laughs, shaking her head as she rolls her eyes at herself. “After about, mmm,” she scrunches her nose in thought, which he finds highly adorable, “fifteen months or so? I couldn’t deny that we were actually together and loved each other. That’s when I let you take me on a date to the movies… the one you remembered earlier.”

He smiles at the memory, enjoying how carefree she’d been joking with him about the movie posters, and how intoxicating her kisses and curves had been. 

David nods, encouraging her for more information. 

She sighs, dropping her head back to the pillow as she tells him that just before Snow and Emma returned, eighteen months after falling through the portal, she’d gotten pregnant. “We’d only slept together a few times,” she adds, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “I’d only just given into  _ those _ feelings a month or so before they came back.” 

Regina tells him how she didn’t know she was pregnant when Snow and Emma returned, didn’t find out until she’d already pushed him and Snow back together. She reminds him that he and Snow had mutually agreed to divorce because of their feelings for their current significant others two months after their return. They wanted to be with the people they truly loved, no matter what all the fairy tale books said. “You came back the night you and Snow agreed you didn’t work together anymore and told me you were in love with me.”

_ “What are you doing here, David?” she asks, voice trembling with emotion as she stands in the doorway of her mansion late one night.  _

_ He swoops in, both hands coming up to capture the sides of her face as his lips crash down upon hers. She gasps into the kiss, mouth instantly opening to welcome his tongue. He passionately pushes their bodies inside the house, never breaking the kiss. David uses his foot to close the door while pressing her body against the nearest wall.  _

_ Regina’s hands fly up, grabbing at his shoulder blades, nails digging in slightly, and pulling him to her. She moans into the kiss, nipping at his bottom lip as his hips press into her.  _

_ They pull apart, David coming to his senses. He knows Henry is at Emma’s tonight, hence why he knew he could get away with the heated make out session without being caught by the pre-teen, but he needs to tell Regina to good news before he spends the rest of the night wrapped in her arms. They’re panting, staring deeply into each other’s eyes. _

_ “David,” she breathes, eyes wide. “Wh-” _

_ “Snow and I are over,” he interrupts, cutting off the question he knew was coming.  _

_ She stares at him, brown eyes still wide in confusion (and he thinks, hopes, excitement). She questions him again, asking what is happening. _

_ He chuckles, taking her hand and leading them into the living room. Settling down on the beige couch, he explains that despite her encouraging him and Snow to make it work over the last two months, they just can’t. “She loves Mulan and I,” he exhales deeply, reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, placing a kiss to her cheek, “am madly in love with you.” _

_ Regina smiles, a beaming one that he thinks could power the town, but she bites her lip, trying to quell the emotions no doubt raging through her body right now. “You are?” _

_ He rolls his eyes, pressing a quick peck to her lips, and assuring her that he is, has been for months and months on end. “Which is why I don’t understand, Regina, why you keep pushing me away. Don’t you love me as well?” _

_ Fear grips him momentarily, worried that the last eighteen months, and especially the last eight have all been a lie. Maybe she doesn’t really love him, maybe it was just convenient since he was always there. _

_ He closes his eyes, afraid of her answer, but opens them again when he hears a wet sigh coming from her. David looks into her big, brown eyes and smiles when she begins to nod. “I am in love with you, David,” she tells him. “And have been for a while.” _

_ Chuckling, he scoots closer, cupping the back of her head and bringing her lips down to his. They stay there, lips locked together, for a beat, finally able to kiss and be together with no guilt, no worry of wives returning or what people will think.  _

_ Breaking the kiss, Regina sits back a touch, sighing. She worries her lip and squirms where she sits, making him nervous. “I have something else I need to tell you.” _

_ He looks at her questioning, tilting his head and assuring her that no matter what it was, he loves her and he’s there for her. _

_ She smiles, closing her eyes in flattery, before opening again. “I’m… pregnant.” _

_ His jaw hangs open and his eyes fill with tears. “Regina,” he breathes. “you’re pregnant?”  _

_ She nods, reaching up to wipe a tear from her cheek, telling him she hadn’t found out until she’d already encouraged him and Snow to try and make things work. “I’ve been miserable trying to figure out how to tell you,” she admits, shaking her head. “I was so afraid Snow would hate me, you would hate me, and-” _

_ “I could never hate you, Regina,” he vows. _

_ David scoots closer, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her body against his. They stay there, cuddled together on the couch in complete silence for awhile, David’s hand absentmindedly rubbing her stomach. After a few more moments, Regina giggles, “My belly isn’t big enough to rub just yet, you know.” _

_ He laughs, pressing a kiss to her forehead and saying he still wants to, still can’t believe they made a baby together. It’s technically still very early in their relationship, so he should be freaking out, and sure, he’s nervous, he’s never raised a baby before, but he loves Regina - is  _ in _ love with her - and he knows they’ll make it work somehow. _

_ “I love you, Regina,” he whispers, nuzzling his nose into her hair.  _

_ She smiles, looking up into his blue eyes. She promises her love for him too, then stands, reaching out a hand in his direction. “Come on,” she says, tugging him up from the couch. “It’s late, and we have a lot to figure out, but right now I just want you to hold me.” _

_ David smiles, always loving when Regina is vulnerable with him. He nods, standing and interlocking their fingers. She’s right, they have much more to discuss in the morning, but for now, now he will take a shower with his love and curl into bed, wrapped in her arms knowing that she’s carrying a miracle inside her body.  _

“I remember that,” he says in amazement, cupping her cheek. “I was  _ so _ happy.”

Regina smiles, tears forming in her eyes, as she nods, saying they were really happy. “Seven months after Snow returned, Olivia was born.”

She explains the rest of the timeline, saying eight months after the return, Snow and Mulan had gotten married and a month after that, he had proposed to her (a memory he still chuckles at, glad that one had come back to him the other week). 

“And then,” she sighs happily, pushing her hair away from her face, “A year after Snow returned, when Olivia was five months old, we got married.”

David smiles brightly, reaching over to take her hand. He brings it up to his lips, pecking a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Thank you for explaining that,” he chuckles. “Makes a bit more sense.”

She grins back at him, and they lay there for a few moments, faces close together as she rubs her stomach, his hand trailing up and down what he can reach of her spine. He thinks she’s almost asleep when he hears her clear her throat. She sighs, opening her eyes to look at him. “I’m… I’m sorry about earlier.”

He scrunches his brow, silently questioning her. She explains why she got so upset during their appointment, tearing up again as she tells him that she  _ knows _ he can’t help it, and she knows he’s trying, but she also can’t help the way she feels. 

“And that’s completely valid,” he promises, stopping his ministrations on her spine to push a strand of hair away from her face. “You’re allowed to feel things too. Just like I’m confused, you’re emotions are allowed to be clouded in this situation.”

She lets out a wet chuckle, reaching up to wipe away a stray tear. “Thank you, David.”

He leans in again, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He changes the subject, bringing up what they want to do this weekend for date night, and after laying there for a few minutes, quietly planning more outings together, they drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms. 

A little while later, he’s jostled awake by the creaking of their bedroom door. He cracks his eyes open, seeing Regina starting to stir as they hear the cries of their daughter from the doorway. David rolls over, looking toward the door and sees Olivia standing there, blanket dragging behind her and stuffed mermaid tucked beneath her armpit. 

“Hey, baby,” Regina says groggily, groaning slightly as she pushes herself into a sitting position. “What’s wrong?”

Olivia sniffles, shutting the door behind her and walking over to the bed. She reaches up, wiping her nose onto her blanket, and David opens the covers, beckoning her to climb in with them. She gets in, little legs and feet punching him in the gut as she crawls over his body to sink into the space between her parents. “Bad dream,” she cries, sniffling as she tries to reign in her tears.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Regina says soothingly, laying back down and wrapping an arm around their little girl. It’s dark in the room, the only light coming from the moon outside, but he can see the concern in Regina’s eyes as she looks down at their daughter. 

David scoots closer, draping his arm over Olivia and onto Regina’s waist. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asks, looking to Regina for confirmation that that was the right thing to say. He isn’t sure how to handle this situation, doesn’t remember ever comforting a sad child other than Henry when he first came to live with him all those years ago, but even then, Henry never cried out of fear like Olivia is doing. 

Her tears are slowing down now, and Regina reaches up to dry Olivia’s cheeks off, leaning in to pepper kisses to her chubby cheek. “No,” Olivia says pitifully, “too scary.”

She pulls her blanket up to her nose, and tugs her mermaid to her side next to Regina. His wife smiles down reassuringly at their daughter, patting Mermaid on the head before combing through Olivia’s tangled hair. 

They lay there, Regina humming a soft song to Olivia while David rubs her stomach in a circular motion, hoping the contact will soothe the little girl back to sleep. 

His eyes snap closed and his lips twist as his head pounds. Reaching up, he rubs his temple as he’s flooded with memories of his little girl.

_ “Daddy!” Olivia giggles, pumping her legs in her car seat to the beat of the music. “Sing with me!” _

_ David chuckles, turning the music up a notch and singing along with his baby girl as he drives her to daycare.  _

Then another memory hits him. 

_“Time to go to sleep now, my darling,” he pacifies, rubbing her back. He’s bending down, yawning as he swoops Olivia into his arms, bouncing her softly. He’s swaying side to side and singing a soft melody to try and lull the baby back to sleep._ _“You need to let Mama sleep.” He’d been dead asleep when Olivia’s cries woke him and Regina. He’d assured his wife he’d take care of it, telling her to go back to sleep since she had a council meeting first thing in the morning._

_ Problem was, after he’d changed the fussy eight month old and given her a bottle, she still wasn’t settled. She was clinging to him, tiny palms fisting at his shirt, and wouldn’t let go. David took her temperature, seeing she had a mild fever, probably due to that tooth he felt growing on her top gum, so he knew he would need to rock her back to sleep after placing some baby teething medication to her mouth. He walked down to the kitchen with Olivia nestled in his arms, crying softly the whole time, and grabbed a frozen teething ring as well. Once they were back upstairs, he’d sat in the rocking chair, humming another lullaby as Olivia sucked on the ring, her cries slowly subsiding. They’d fallen asleep in the chair at first, but his neck had lulled to the side uncomfortably, and he knew he’d have a crink in his neck if he didn’t move. _

_ Looking down at his little girl, however, finally calmed and sleeping in his arms, he knew he couldn’t move. The toy she’d had in her mouth had almost thawed out and dropped to rest on her chest, so he picked it up, placing it on the table next to him. Leaning down to press a feather light kiss to her brow, he smiled, taking in all the beautiful features of her tiny face. His eyes sagged, sleep pulling him under once again. David knew he’d have a stiff neck come morning, but if it meant his daughter (and wife) could get a full night’s sleep, well, he’d handle a little neck pain tomorrow. _

When that memory ends, another flashes through his mind.

_ Blowing on her knee as the peroxide settles into her skin, he assures lovingly, “It’s alright, baby girl. Look!” He points toward the bubbles on her scraped knee. “The bubbles mean it’s being cleaned out.” _

_ “It hurts, Daddy,” she pouts, reaching up to wipe the tears off her cheeks before crossing her arms across her chest with a huff. She tells him she never wants to ride her bike again, and he grins, telling her she’ll feel differently in a few days.  _

_ He places a bandaid on her scrape, kissing just above it. “There,” he says. “All better.” _

_ Olivia hops down from the bed of his truck, kicking her bike like the five year old spit fire she is, before taking his hand and leading him back inside the house with a miniature stomp to her feet, bicycle forgotten on the driveway for now. _

He smiles to himself, chuckling at how spirited his little girl is before another memory hits him. It’s all flashes, really, back to back, compounding his mind with every memory he’s ever made with his daughter. From the day she was born up until the day of his accident.

_ “Let’s get that cereal, Daddy!” Olivia pleads, taking his hand in hers and pulling him toward the sugary breakfast.  _

_ He sighs, shaking his head and explaining to her that it’s too sweet for breakfast and tries to get her to pick out a healthier option. Being the little politician that she is, she smiles sweetly, grabbing the box and looking up at him with her big, blue, puppy dog eyes. “But we can have it for dessert, right?” _

_ David laughs, giving in to her. “You’re right, baby,” he says, placing the cereal in the cart and hoping his wife doesn’t scold him too much for it. Taking the three year old’s hand, he guides her through the grocery store once more, both of them picking out a few more items that weren’t on Regina’s list and giggling together all the while.  _

Another - the memories overwhelming him.

_ “That’s it, baby!” David squeals, crouching down to the floor to be eye level with their four month old. She’s wiggling, trying to roll herself from her tummy to her back. She’s been practicing for weeks on end, clearly ready to make this flip on her own, but this is the closest she’s gotten. “You can do it!” _

_ Olivia grunts her little baby sounds of frustration, kicking her legs and breathing out puffs of breath. He chuckles, rubbing her back for a second, encouraging her silently to keep trying.  _

_ “Regina!” David calls over his shoulder, reaching into his pocket to grab his phone and record this moment incase she doesn’t get in here soon enough. “Come here!” _

_ He can hear the kitchen sink turn off, Regina’s voice mumbled through the walls as she questions if everything is okay. He can hear her hurried footsteps as he looks back to Olivia.  _

_ She rolls over, head bouncing slightly on the plush baby blanket she is laying on. “Good job, Olivia!” he exclaims, looking over his shoulder again to the doorway just in time to see Regina covering her mouth in excitement. She claps her hands together, joining them on the carpet as they cheer on their little girl and her new motor skill. _

_ He reaches down, cell phone forgotten on the floor, and picks up Olivia, bouncing her slightly in the air before bringing her back down. He kisses her chubby cheeks, blowing a raspberry onto her skin and making her squeal with laughter. David smiles, giving his baby a few more kisses, before setting her back down on the blanket. “Can you do it again for me and Mama?” _

His eyes snap back open, scanning over Olivia’s little body and then up to Regina. She’s looking at him in concern, and looks as if she’s about to ask if he’s alright when he just smiles, tears coming to his eyes. He’s overwhelmed and flooded with emotion. He’s been slowly falling for his little girl all these weeks, but seeing these memories, all the times they’ve spent together just the two of them, knowing there have been so many more times with Regina and the family as a whole, his love for his daughter floods back into his heart, not just the memories but the emotions he’s been missing from all his other flashbacks thus far. He tears up, a lone tear escaping and falling down his cheek. He leans down to press a kiss to her head, inhaling the scent of her baby shampoo that he loves so much - the kind he now recalls picking up at the store so many times in the past. He picks up Olivia’s little hand in his, stroking his thumb over the back of hers. He tickles her palm gently, making her sleepily giggle as he breathes in her scent again and whispers, “I love you, Olivia.” 

“Love you too, Daddy,” she murmurs back to him, tucking her nose into his side as she settles closer to his body.

He looks up, tears still brimming in his eyes and catching Regina’s wet gaze. She seems to understand, seems to know somehow that it wasn’t just memories, but his actual emotions that have flooded back to him. Regina cries silently as she watches them, and David looks down at his daughter once more. Leaning in, he kisses her on the forehead as she drifts off to sleep, then looks back to Regina once more. He has tears in his eyes still as he whispers to her, “I remember. I was bombarded with all these memories of me and Olivia - going to school, singing in the truck, picking out Christmas presents for you… everything.” 

Regina smiles, a tear falling from her eye that she reaches up to push away before he can even get his hand there to do it for her. “Everything?”

He nods, proudly. “Every last bit. From the day she was born up until the day of my accident. I can remember her giving me a kiss goodbye that morning before the bus came to get her.”

She smiles even bigger at him, reaching out to stroke his cheek, a  _ that’s wonderful _ , falling from her lips.

“It wasn’t just my memories though,” he says in amazement. “My  _ feelings _ are there. I remember how much I love Olivia,” he cries, shaking his head as he takes a steadying breath. “I love her…  _ so _ much,” he says with a lump in his throat. “It’s incredible!” 

“That’s amazing,” she chokes out, reaching up to comb her fingers through his blonde hair.

He tilts his head to rest in her hand when she brings it back to his cheek, and he kisses her palm, thanking her for helping raise such an amazing, funny, vivacious daughter.

They smile at each other, then down to Olivia who is sleeping soundly between them already, tear filled snores puffing out in the space between them. He sighs, closing his eyes and settling down onto the mattress, content to be beside his little girl. 

{****************************}

Regina smiles, looking down to their baby as she nestles into her father’s chest. David’s overcome with this new emotion, and so is she, but partially for a totally different reason. 

She hates herself for feeling this way, truly she does. She bites her lip, trying to hold back her sob. She’s so happy, elated even, that his emotions have finally come back. But she can’t help the small part of her that is heartbroken. 

She lays there, watching him watch their daughter. His face is as bright as Olivia’s on Christmas morning as he rubs his finger lightly over their daughter’s face, like he’s seeing her again for the first time. Which, she supposes, he is in his own way. Regina watches him, wishing beyond all hope that he would remember her like that. Wishes his feelings for her would return.

Sighing, she swallows thickly, telling herself that she’s being selfish, being ridiculous. She should enjoy this -  _ savor _ this - she should take this as a good sign, hell, a  _ great _ sign. Archie had warned her before that parent’s emotions and memories of their children tended to come back long before anything else, so this shouldn’t surprise her. But today has been a whirlwind of emotions for her, so she’ll blame the twinge of jealousy on the pregnancy hormones and push it deep down, enjoying the fact that her husband is coming around.

She settles deeper into the bed, placing her hand on her belly as she feels her baby’s magic pulsing beneath her palm. She smiles, giggling airily to herself and shaking her head at how silly she’s being. Regina glances back over to David who she realizes is watching her.

Turning her had even further, she gives him a questioning look. “What?”

He beams, shrugging. “I’m just so happy.”

And she smiles back, her moment of heartbreak melting away as she sees, can almost  _ feel _ , his joy exuding off of him in waves. She hasn’t seen him quite this happy since before the accident, and she couldn’t be more ecstatic. 

She tells him that this is a really good sign, and that he should tell Archie about it at his session tomorrow. David nods excitedly, saying he’s anxious to get there and give their friend the good news. Regina grins at his enthusiasm and twists her body, leaning over Olivia to peck him on the lips. She lets this one linger just a bit more than normal as she breathes into their mouths. 

Pulling back, Regina looks down at their sleeping child, whose tears are finally dry, and places a kiss to the top of her head. Taking a glimpse at David one more time, she bites her lip, giving him a small smile. The emotion of today finally hitting her hard as exhaustion takes over. 

“I’m so tired,” she chuckles, settling back down onto her side of the bed. 

David meets her chuckle, telling her to sleep in tomorrow morning. He promises he can entertain the children while she catches an extra hour or two of much deserved sleep, and she thanks him, making a joke about not burning the house down while making breakfast before she can get downstairs.

He laughs softly, promising, “I didn’t forget how to cook,” and she just squints, looking at him skeptically and silently reminding him of when he’d burnt the toast a few weeks ago, setting off the fire alarm. 

“That was  _ one  _ time,” he declares indignantly, breathing out another quiet laugh. “I’ll even enlist Henry’s help to ensure we don’t mess anything up.”

Regina giggles, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. She nods, giving him one last look, and thanks him again, saying the extra sleep will be nice. “If this little one will let me sleep,” she admits, rubbing a hand along her swollen belly. Finding a comfortable position has gotten harder and harder over the last few weeks, her tossing and turning waking David up throughout the night she’s sure, not that he would mind. 

David smiles, placing his hand on hers and whispering to their son to  _ let Mama sleep in the morning, baby _ . Their son gives their hands a kick and they both chuckle, smiling at each other tiredly as David makes a quip of taking that as a yes. 

She smiles once more, glad this day is over and happy they were able to talk through her conflicting emotions instead of burying them down and never discussing them. He may not remember her completely, but he’s still the man she married. Still the same man who knows how to communicate, and listen, and support, no matter what.  “Goodnight, David,” she murmurs, sleep quickly enveloping her in its sweet embrace. “Love you,” she whispers without thought, half asleep already.

“Night, Regina,” she hears him reply back as she lets the last of her exhaustion finally pull her under.

{****************************}

_ Thoughts? _


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this story. I’m truly shocked each time I update that people are so invested lol (but I’m glad you are!) I know this update took me a little bit to get around to, but I’ve been busy with life and work and I was trying to get my OQ Advent story completed haha. I hope you enjoy this next installment! :)
> 
> Rating goes up with this chapter ;)
> 
> {**********************************}

**Chapter Seven:**

“Not there!” Regina giggles, pointing David in the direction of the drawer she wants the onesies in. She’s sitting in the blue glider rocker folding baby clothes she’d recently washed in preparation for their son’s arrival, telling her husband where exactly everything should go so that it is easy to get to during late night (or early morning, as it were) feedings and diaper changes. 

It is a Saturday night, and two weeks have passed since David’s emotions and memories returned to him for Olivia. Things around the house had been chaotic that next day, the children full of excitement that David’s brain was beginning to heal.  _ Daddy’s brain isn’t sick anymore!? _ Olivia had asked, making the adults smile. Henry was giddy, being the only one that David remembered from before, that his stepfather was coming back to all of them bit by bit. 

After a day or so of excitement, things had settled into a new normal. David and Regina were spending more and more time together, getting to know each other again, and Regina couldn’t be happier. She loved her husband, and she couldn’t help but think he was starting to have feelings for her as well. Their kisses had gotten longer, but things were still as innocent as teenagers on a second date. It was nice, nothing like their passionate kisses of the past, but they were getting there, and they just made her pregnancy hormones flare up again to where she’s found herself exploring her own body several times in the shower on certain nights. 

Tonight, however, they are spending time together to put the finishing touches on their baby boy’s nursery. It is Emma’s weekend with Henry, and she’d volunteered to take Olivia as well for the night so Regina and David could finish the nursery without the curious six year old’s hands all over everything.

Regina had thanked Emma earlier when she dropped them off, Olivia bouncing with excitement to sleep in Aunt Emma and Uncle Chang’s apartment.

“Right here?” David asks, pointing to the middle drawer on the left side. “Or here?” he playfully points to the bottom one on the opposite side.

“Stop being an ass,” Regina snickers, shaking her head at his antics. “The onesies need to be close enough so I’m not bending over all the time to change outfits,” she explains, pointing to the correct drawer. “You’d be surprised how many onesies a tiny baby can destroy!”

David laughs, walking over to where she sits and places his hands on the armrests, hovering over her. Regina looks up with a gleam in her eyes as he bends down, pressing a gentle peck to her lips. She grins into their embrace, feeling giddy at the simplicity of his smooches lately. They feel so normal, like he knows he was born to kiss her. 

Pulling apart, David straightens his back and checks his watch. “It’s almost dinner time. How ‘bout I go pick up some food from Granny’s instead of us going over there to sit?”

Regina’s eye light up, and nodding, she agrees, “That sounds lovely. That way I can get some more things done in here while you’re gone.”

It’s a tradition they hadn’t let die — Saturday dates at Granny’s — and she loves it. She hopes it’s a tradition they’ll never let slip away even when they’re old and gray. She just likes spending time with her husband, alone and away from distractions.

“Great,” David says, extending his hand for her to take. He helps her stand from the chair and then wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “I’ll go get it now.”

He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear before tapping her on the nose. She giggles, scrunching her nose at the touch as he walks out, making his way downstairs. Regina sighs happily, taking a moment to look around the room. They’d gotten quite a bit accomplished already over the last few weeks. The pictures were already hung up, the furniture was put together and in place, and she’d already hung up a good amount of clothes in the closet. 

She snickers to herself, thinking back to when Olivia was born and how she had double the amount of outfits their son had already. Little girls have cuter clothes, she muses, picking up a pile of tiny outfits she’d been folding. She walks over to the dresser David had been putting clothes in moments ago and smiles softly when she sees how carefully he’d placed the items inside. 

Regina runs her hand over the fabric of one of the onesies covered in tiny blue whales, grinning to herself as she imagines what it’ll be like to have a baby boy again. It’d been so many years since Henry ran around the house causing chaos and destruction in his path like all little boys do. Olivia has brought her fair amount of noise to the house, but it’s nothing compared to the wild abandon little boys have. 

It’ll be nice, she decides, having a playmate for Olivia. The little girl is already so excited for the baby to get here, and they’ve had to explain to her several times that when he’s first born she won’t be able to play with him as much.

Placing the newly folded clothes into another drawer, Regina then closes it and straightens the contents on top of the dresser, making sure everything is in just the right spot for when their baby arrives. She turns around, looking at the rest of the room. She remembers she left the fitted sheet for the crib downstairs in the dryer, so with a heavy sigh and a rub to her ever growing twenty-eight week belly, she waddles her way downstairs.

{**************************}

Half an hour later, David makes his way up the stairs. “Honey, I’m home!” he calls out jokingly, causing Regina to snigger from inside the nursery — a sound he’s come to realize he loves hearing. It’s so light and completely different from the Regina he remembers battling in the Enchanted Forest, and he loves that he can make such a happy sound come from his wife.

He walks in, smiling as he sees her sitting in the middle of the floor, back up against the rocker’s ottoman and surrounded by a few boxes of diapers, some clothes and other random baby supplies. He takes a moment, standing in the doorway just to admire Regina. She really is gorgeous, he thinks, and he’s so lucky to be married to her. 

She looks up then, smiling. “That smells delicious. This one is extra hungry tonight,” she giggles, pointing to her belly and then herself with a shrug. “I am too.”

David snorts, making his way to the center of the room. He sits down, digging out the paper plates Granny had stuffed inside the bag for him and begins pulling out their dishes. “Are we having a picnic tonight?” he jests, motioning to their position in the middle of the rug. 

She gives him a pointed look, dryly responding that by time she gets off this floor the food will be cold. He laughs, shaking his head but agreeing. 

“Here’s your lasagna, cheesesticks, and chilli fries,” he taunts with a skeptical look, telling her how Granny gave him an odd look for that order.

Regina shrugs, exclaiming playfully, “I’m pregnant!” and takes the containers from him. She begins to dish out her food, popping two fries in her mouth as she works. “What did you get?”

He holds up the bag by his face, playfully giving it a little shake before pulling his legs into a criss-cross position and pulling out his meal — a hamburger with mac n’ cheese and a side of vegetables. No one ever said they had to eat healthy during their dates at Granny’s. 

Regina moans, looking at his food as he dishes it out onto his plate. A sound that goes straight to his middle and he has to remind himself that she’s moaning over the bacon crusted mac n’ cheese, not him. He chuckles, promising she can take the bite that he knows she so desperately wants.

She simpers sheepishly, rubbing her belly. “I’d like to blame it on this little guy, but I just love Granny’s macaroni too much.”

They laugh together, settling into easy conversation about anything and everything — from the nursery, to David’s latest session with Archie, their appointment with Whale the other day, the kids, and more. It amazes him how easy life is with Regina, and he’s once again reminded of what a good decision his past self had made by marrying this woman. 

By time they finish their food and spend a few more moments just talking, Regina lets out a giant yawn. Reaching over, she takes his wrist in her hand, turning it slightly to glimpse at his watch. “We took a long time eating dinner,” she states playfully, rolling onto her side and pressing down onto the floor in an attempt to stand up. “We need to get a few more things done before going to bed.”

David stands, reaching down to help get her off the ground, and she snorts out an exasperated puff of air, shaking her head and claiming  _ it’ll be nice when I can just get up and down again! _

She places their trash that they’d put inside the Granny’s bag out in the hall, then returns to help him in the room. They put a few boxes of diapers inside the closet, hang some of the nicer outfits she has for him in the closet (including a dress shirt with an attached bow tie that Regina had squealed over, claiming it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen), and David puts the fitted sheet on the crib’s mattress before Regina officially claims they’ve gotten enough done. 

David smirks to himself, knowing the nursery is as done as it can be until there’s an actual baby inside of it. Regina’s nesting phase is starting to show, though, so he’s positive there will be at least a dozen more tasks she saddles him with in the room over the next few weeks before she’ll declare it completely done.

“Come on,” he says, pulling her out of the room and into the hall. He places a kiss to her lips, causing her to beam. His heart clenches everytime she does that. Partly out of guilt that she has to live a life where a kiss from her husband is surprising, but also in part because he loves that he can make her smile so freely. “Let’s go enjoy some alone time together downstairs while the kids are away.”

She grins, bending slowly to pick up their bag of trash. She stands, leaning in to return another embrace to his lips. She brings her free hand up to cup his cheek, staring into his blue eyes. “That sounds good,” she tells him, a smirk growing on her face. “We can catch up on  _ This is Us _ .”

As they make their way downstairs, David grins, hoping they still miss some of the episode because he plans to kiss his wife senseless while the threat of being interrupted by little pitter patters of their daughter’s feet or a teenager asking to go somewhere are non-existent. 

{**************************}

The next day, Regina finds herself at the park with David and the kids. She takes a deep, calming breath, leaning her face toward the sun. It’s nice out today — sunny but not too hot, and there is a gentle breeze. She’s glad for it, she thinks, the heat lately has been keeping her inside. With the added weight of her stomach and the all around feeling of being uncomfortable, the air conditioning has been her best friend. She’s thankful that the weather will have started to cool down by the time her last month of pregnancy rolls around. 

Pulling herself from her thoughts, she looks out toward the swing set. David is pushing Olivia on the swing, and her sweet little giggles float through the air toward Regina. She catches David’s sweet gaze, smiling softly at him as he looks her way. 

Turning her head, she eyes Henry who has been working in his notebook since he came home from his other mother’s this morning. His tongue is peeking out between his teeth and she grins to herself, remembering how he’s had that same habit since he was little, and funnily enough, Olivia has picked up the same mannerism. She wonders vaguely if she does it when she’s concentrating without realizing it and both of her children picked it up from her.

“What are you working on, sweetheart?” she asks Henry, smiling at him when his head shoots up as if she surprised him.

The teenager chuckles, breathing out deeply as he holds up his journal. “This story that came to me last night at mom’s house,” he explains. “We were talking with Chang about how his life growing up was so different than mine. We were talking about time travel and jumping through portals to other lands like Mom and Grandma did and,” he shrugs, “I don’t know. It made me wanna write something about a normal kid, from this world, who grows up believing in magic.” He goes on, telling her how so far all he has is the introduction of his main character — the boy who believes in magic. He’s bullied at school because of his beliefs, but then one day he meets a man who claims to have a portal to a world where magic exists. The boy follows the man and ends up going through a portal —  _ a magic bean, or a wand, or... something, I don’t know yet  _ — to a land full of magic and spending some time there before returning back home.

She smiles, listening to her son. He’s always been so creative, even before he knew about magic and curses and real life fairy tales. “That sounds really interesting,” she praises, encouraging him to keep working on it. There’s a writing contest at school and she tells him he could enter. “You could leave high school with a writing contest trophy to boot!”

Henry beams, reminding her he’s already won several writing contests over the years, has a shelf full of trophies to prove it, but she just shrugs, saying one last one for the road would be amazing. She goes quiet for a moment, her face falling a bit as she thinks about this being her little prince’s last year at home.

“Mom? What’s wrong?”

She looks back to him, eyes wet with tears that she curses silently, willing them away. “Oh,” she sighs, “it’s nothing, sweetheart. Just thinking about you leaving for college next year makes me sad.”

Her son glances up at her, standing from where he’d been perched in the grass with his notebook and comes to sit beside her on the bench. He rubs Regina’s belly for a second before wrapping his arm around her shoulder and placing the side of his head against hers. “I’ll still come home to visit, you know? Plus you’ve got Olivia and this little guy to keep you plenty busy,” he tells her, trying to comfort. “You’ll hardly know I’m gone!”

Regina chuckles out a wet, breathy puff of air through her nose and shakes her head. “I’ll always notice your absence, baby.”

Henry pulls back, looking over to her with a sympathetic smile. He tells her he’ll miss her too, but reassures her that he loves her and will always come back home to see them whenever he can. 

“You better,” she narrows her eyes, trying her best to give him a playful scowl. She wipes at the tear that’s threatening to fall from her eye, once again blaming her pregnancy hormones on her tears. 

Henry gives her a knowing look at that excuse, saying she’d cry over him leaving even if she wasn’t pregnant, and she nods with a knowing grin, telling him he’s right. She pats his cheek then leans over, pressing a sweet kiss to it. 

He blushes, standing up to pick up his journal. He sets it on the bench, telling Regina that he’s going to take a break from writing and go play with Olivia. She smiles, nodding and saying, “Have fun!”

As he makes his way toward the swing, high-fiving David then running with his arms wide open toward his little sister, her squeals of laughter echoing around the park, Regina spies David making his way back to the bench. She gazes up at him as he takes the spot next to her. 

“You okay?” he asks, pointing to her visibly wet cheek. 

She chuckles, wiggling to get more comfortable on the bench, and explaining her conversation with Henry about college. 

David tilts his head, giving her an all too sympathetic look, saying he can’t believe Henry is already old enough for college. “I mean, it feels like just a few weeks ago he was ten years old!”

She chortles at his bad amnesia joke, rolling her eyes and smiling over at him. “Ha. Ha. You’re so funny.”

He laughs, leaning over to tap his finger to her nose lightheartedly. “I like to think I am.”

Rolling her eyes once more, she leans into his side, watching Henry chase Olivia around the playground. 

They sit in a comfortable silence for a few moments, both checking their social media accounts and email on their phones while periodically looking up to check on the children. 

She glances up to see Henry lifting his sister into the air and swinging her around like an airplane, and Regina taps David’s ribs with her elbow, jutting her chin in the teenager’s direction so David can watch the cute scene before them. They look over at each other, commenting on how great it is that Henry will still play with Olivia despite the age difference.

“Hey guys!” they hear from behind them. Looking over her shoulder, Regina sees Snow and Mulan making their way over, the twins in tow. 

“Hey, Snow, Mulan,” Regina greets, smiling up at the women when they come to stand beside the bench. She looks down to Eli and Eric, “Henry and Olivia are already over there,” she points, “if you boys want to go play with them.”

Matching shouts of  _ Yeah! _ reverberate in her ear drums as the twins run down the small hill, tackling Henry to the ground in greeting. Henry guffaws, looping an arm around both rambunctious boys as Olivia dog piles on top of them all, giggling happily with her friends.

All three women chuckle, shaking their heads simultaneously as they look to each other. “We had to bring them to the park to let them run off some energy,” Mulan discloses, smirking over at Snow. “She couldn’t handle all the noise in the house today.”

Snow playfully rolls her eyes, shaking her head and looping her arm through Mulan’s. “I can usually handle it, they are my kids after all,” she taunts, “but today they just couldn’t seem to settle down.”

Regina smirks. “That happens sometimes, even with little girls,” she says, looking over her shoulder to David. He’s been quiet since their friends walked up, and she could feel his back straighten when Mulan spoke a moment ago. She catches his eye, but all he does is give his eyebrows a slight bounce in acceptance that he hears them.

His face is rigid, no smile to be found, and she furrows her eyebrows, silently asking him what’s wrong. He says nothing, just nodding in confirmation that Olivia, too, has too much energy sometimes. 

She huffs quietly, turning to look back at Snow and Mulan. Snow gives her a questioning look, glancing over to David, and Regina shrugs and shakes her head. 

“Well,” Snow adds awkwardly, the tension around the four adults growing, “we’re going to go watch the kids play for a bit.” She tilts her head, motioning toward a bench that’s settled closer to the playground. 

Regina nods, saying they’ll have to come over one day soon and let the boys and Olivia play. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” David snips rudely, interrupting their conversation.

“David,” Regina admonishes quietly, turning her head to look at him as if he’s lost his mind. She lets out a  _ tsk _ and shakes her head, looking over to Snow and Mulan once more with a light scoff under her breath.

She rolls her eyes, assuring her friends, “I’ll text you later and we can set something up.”

Snow and Mulan both nod hesitantly, and Mulan breaks the tension fill moments, telling her that sounds great. She says the boys always love playing with Olivia, and it’s been far too long since they got together and just talked. 

Regina smiles brightly, glad her husband’s rude behavior is so easily brushed off by his ex and her new wife. They’re two of her closest friends, and with everything that’s been going on since David woke up from his coma, they haven’t spent any real amount of time together. She nods and waves them goodbye as the pair makes their way to the other bench. 

With a sigh, she turns her body, facing David. He’s looking out into the distance, and she follows his eyeline. He’s watching Snow and Mulan settle onto their bench, but he has a slight scowl to his brow and his jaw is clenched. She knows that face, knows her husband. He’s angry, and… jealous? That wouldn’t make sense though. He’s come to terms with the fact that he’s not married to Snow anymore, he’s been so loving with her the past few weeks. So why is he looking at Mulan like he wants to throttle her for stealing his wife?

She knows he doesn’t remember, but he was already out of love with the pixie haired brunette by the time Snow and Emma came back from the Enchanted Forest with their (now) spouses. 

_ “David!” Snow White exclaims, running into the back of Mr. Gold’s pawn shop. Kneeling down beside the little cot where her husband sleeps, Snow takes his warm hand in hers.  _

_ Regina, the dwarves, Ruby, Belle and Rumple all crowd around the bed, anticipation growing as everyone waits for Snow to wake their prince. Emma, Chang and Mulan come in with Henry, panting and asking if she’s kissed him yet.  _

_ “Not yet,” Ruby whispers excitedly, watching as Snow brushes her hand over David’s forehead.  _

_ The princess halts her movements, looking over the small crowd. Leaning in, she presses her lips to his, waiting for the gust of wind and white light to surround them like last time. _

_ She leans back, brow furrowing as she notices the difference. No light. No wind. No waking up.  _

_ “It’s not working,” she exclaims, panic rising in her voice. Regina takes a step toward the bed in alarm, turning to look at Rumple.  _

_ Snow looks at the imp as well when Regina questions why he’s not waking up. She looks back to David, telling his wife to try again. It pains her to say it, wanting nothing more than to run over there and kiss him herself. But she’s afraid. She knows David has feelings for her, has made that quite clear over the last few months, but no one is supposed to know. No one  _ can _ know. She’s the Evil Queen, she’s not supposed to have feelings for Prince Charming.  _

_ Rumple hums in interest, looking over at the fairytale couple who is struggling to connect in order to bring David back from the sleeping world.  _

_ Regina takes a deep breath, worry filling her that David will never wake. She blames herself, she had agreed to let him go under the sleeping curse so Henry wouldn’t have to get hurt anymore. She’ll never forgive herself if he’s lost to them forever. She lets out a shaky breath, pressing her eyes closed to keep her tears at bay. She cannot show fear, or any emotion, in front of these people about David — especially not Rumplestiltskin.  _

_ She opens her eyes, watching as Snow presses another kiss to David’s lips. Nothing. She takes another step closer, gripping her arms tightly against her chest. “Maybe… maybe he needs a few moments,” she suggests, looking back to her mentor.  _

_ Rumple stands there, hand on his cane and one hip cocked out, eyeing her suspiciously. His chest moves with what she assumes is a laugh as a smirk grows on his face. He gives her a knowing look, one she hates to see on his face. “If it was going to work, dearie, it would’ve happened already.” _

_ Snow sighs, rubbing her forehead. “This is all my fault.” _

_ Regina’s head shoots up, eyebrows pinching together. “What do you mean?” _

_ Snow looks around the room, surveying the faces of all the people there once more. Her eyes lock with one of the newcomers, the warrior woman they’d called Mulan, and she smiles briefly at her with wet eyes before darting her eyes away to look at everyone else. She simply shakes her head, sniffling and closing her eyes tightly as she looks back down to David. “I just mean,” she hesitates, looking into Regina’s confused eyes, “maybe I was gone too long, maybe he’s been asleep for too long, I don’t know,” she finishes with a shrug and an uncomfortable scoff out of her lips. _

_ Regina looks down at David, a traitorous tear slipping down her cheek. Without thinking, she makes her way completely to the bed and sits, cupping David’s cheek with her own. “So he’s just asleep forever? That can’t be. There has to be another way!” she shouts, looking angrily over at Rumple.  _

_ Snow tilts her head, looking intrigued at something. “What?” Regina asks irritably, huffing out a breath. She’s not mad at anyone in particular, she’s just angry that the man she lo… likes is now stuck in a dreamworld forever, and she doesn’t know where to place her emotions or whom to take it out on.  _

_ “You try it,” Snow says softly, walking closer to where Regina sits next to David’s sleeping form. _

_ She looks up at her, eyes still wet with worried tears, and she shakes her head, asking, “What?” for clarity. Did this infuriatingly optimistic woman just ask her to kiss her husband? _

_ Snow smiles knowingly down at her stepmother, bending to take one of Regina’s hands in hers. “I see the way you’re looking at him, Regina. It’s okay,” she assures quietly with a gentle nod. “Just try and see what happens.” _

_ Regina looks nervously around the room, looking into the eyes of all the onlookers. Sure, she and David had been out in public over the last year, but always with Henry. If they ever were together, just the two of them, they never went anywhere that could be considered scandalous. They always kept it platonic in front of the town. They’d only been intimate a few times, but she couldn’t deny that she loved him. Was  _ in _ love with this stupid, irritatingly charming prince.  _

_ Henry smiles tenderly, encouragingly, at her when they lock eyes, and he gives his mom a nod of his head. She looks at him questioningly and her son just beams back, bigger this time with a more confident nod. The silent communication gives her a bit more courage, but as she looks back to Snow, she can’t bring herself to do it.  _

_ She sighs, pulling her eyes from Snow’s maddeningly understanding eyes back to David’s closed ones. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and thinks about David. She imagines his handsome face, the little bit of scruff he’s let grow lately that she’d just told him the other morning while laying in bed that she hoped he kept. She thinks of his tender, loving eyes and how they always seem to understand her, even when she tries to keep herself guarded and hidden away from the world, he always just… gets her. She imagines his laugh, that deep belly one he lets out when Henry does something silly or she actually makes a joke that catches him off guard, and she smiles to herself. God, she loves this man.  _

_ Opening her eyes, she looks back down to the sleeping prince. Regina takes one last deep, steadying breath before leaning down. Hovering just above his lips, she licks hers nervously and whispers, “Please wake up, David,” before pressing her lips to his hesitantly. Once their mouths meet, she leans in further, deepening the pressure on his lips. It doesn’t seem to be working, and her heart breaks, thinking maybe what they share isn’t true love after all. She goes to pull back, but in that moment, a burst of white light radiates from their lips and surrounds the room as a gust of strong wind blows out from around their bodies, almost knocking everyone in the room over with the force. _

_ “Woah,” Henry breathes out. “It worked!” The boy cackles happily, high-fiving his blonde mother who looks confused.  _

_ David gasps, pulling everyone’s attention back to the couple on the bed. His eyes fly open as he takes a deep, fresh breath into his lungs. His eyes meet Regina’s and she feels as if she’s the only person in the room with him in that moment. “You woke me up?” _

_ She looks down at him sheepishly, reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. “It appears that way.” _

_ He grins, pushing himself up to prop on his elbow. “Now you can never pretend not to love me again,” he stage whispers with a glint to his eyes, “no matter how stubborn you are.”  _

_ She rolls her eyes, her mouth falling slightly open at his flippant attitude to what just happened, but grins, knowing that reaction would only come from her idiot prince. David reaches up, running a hand through her hair before cupping her cheek. “I love you too,” he smirks, bringing her head down to meet his in another kiss.  _

_ A throat is cleared from somewhere beside them, and they break apart, turning their heads to look at their stunned audience. Henry is smiling, as is, oddly enough, Snow White, while the dwarves, Ruby and Belle’s mouths hang open. Emma is looking around, confused as to what is happening still, while the newcomers stand there in equal befuddlement. _

_ Regina notes, however, that Emma is now holding the hand of the asian man amongst their group and she smiles, wondering exactly what happened while they were away.  _

_ “Snow,” David says, sitting up completely. Regina stands, moving out of his way so he can swing his legs over the side of the cot to stand up. “I’m...” he sighs, “I don’t—” _

_ “It’s okay, David,” Snow interrupts, holding up a hand to silence his rambling. She tells him that she’s been gone for quite a while, over a year now, and things have changed for everyone. They just need time to find themselves again as a couple, to get back to how they were before she left. _

_ Regina’s back straightens at that, a pain in her heart at Snow’s words. She’s been telling David for months that when Snow came back, he needed to be with her, but hearing Snow confirm it, even after seeing her wake him with true love’s kiss, sends an aching pain to her beating organ. She contemplates briefly going home and ripping it out just to not feel the pain of being parted from David ever again. _

_ While Snow and David talk quietly to each other, Ruby opens her arms, sweeping them around and ushering everyone out of the room, exclaiming, “Let’s give them some privacy.” _

_ The room clears out save for Snow and David. Regina wraps her arm around Henry’s shoulders, bravely walking out of the back room with her son, not turning to look at David one last time in fear of breaking her heart for good. Henry looks up at her, asking why Snow would say that when David clearly loves her, but she just shakes her head, saying it’s complicated adult stuff that he’ll understand one day. She’s not sure what Snow and David discuss while back there, but an hour later, they both emerge with tear stained cheeks and hesitant smiles on their faces with their fingers intertwined. _

She shakes her head, remembering how Snow told her one night a while later that while in the back room, she’d broken her own heart which only beat for Mulan at that point by telling David they needed to try and make it work. And he had agreed, albeit not entirely happily, knowing Regina had been telling him for months on end that when his wife returned, their relationship would have to end. The Charmings’ love story was infamous — written about in countless books and movies — how could they just give that up? They had to make it work, Snow reasoned. David had been hesitant, not wanting to let go of Regina, but Regina’s own words echoed in his mind, so he had agreed. 

Regina laughs now, thinking how stupid they’d all been. Luckily, everyone involved realized their stupidity a few short months later and the couple divorced so Snow could be with Mulan and David could be with Regina. It had all worked out in the end. 

Now, though, his jealous behavior and the way he was looking at the couple is irritating her. She doesn’t know what his problem is, but his suddenly quiet demeanor isn’t going to cut it. They won’t keep secrets from each other, they talk about their issues, so she’s determined to get him to open up.

{*****************************} 

“David, what’s wrong?” he hears her ask. “You were incredibly rude to our friends.” She touches his arm, grounding him in the moment despite how her touch makes him bristle. His anger had been sudden. Seeing Mulan and Snow triggered something inside of him, and he didn’t like it. 

He was jealous, but he couldn’t understand why. He  _ knows _ Snow is married to Mulan, has seen them together before, but something about today set him off. When Snow wrapped her arm with Mulan’s bent elbow, it was almost like cotton had been stuffed in his ears. He couldn’t hear anything clearly, and he felt like he was in a fog. 

Anger. That’s all he could associate it with. His subconscious was angry that his wife was with someone else.  _ Ex- _ wife, he reminds his brain. Having to remind himself of that fact all over again just makes him irritated as well. There will be moments when he’s doing something with Regina and the children and thoughts of Snow will pop into his mind, his brain telling him he should be sitting there with his  _ real wife, _ and all he wants to do is mentally slap his own mind, berating it for such thoughts that he knows simply aren’t true anymore. His life is with Regina, Henry and Olivia now, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. His heart knows it’s not in love with Snow anymore, but his brain can’t seem to catch up, and it overwhelms him at times with frustration.

He tries to explain this to Regina, but he can’t. All he can say is, “Nothing. I just…” he huffs, irked with himself now. “My brain still thinks it’s married to Snow sometimes, you know?” and she does, he knows she knows this. She’s been so patient and understanding these last few weeks. Just another reason he wishes his brain would catch up with his heart. He doesn’t want to hurt her anymore. He doesn’t want this war battling inside his chest, he just wants to be happy and free with the life he is living now. 

Regina nods, spine straightening as her face evens out into the most neutral of looks, and  _ Oh shit _ , he thinks. He knows that look in her eye, the blank glare that sends a shiver down his spine, reminding him of the Queen he once fled from in the Enchanted Forest. She’s angry. “I do,” she answers curtly. “I didn’t know you were still struggling with that.”

He huffs irritably, “Well, I am, Regina.” He doesn’t mean to be short with her, to snip his words at her, but he’s irked, and angry, and frustrated, and… he hates this. Doesn’t know where to place the irritability anymore.

He sighs, wiping a hand down his face as he sees Regina’s eyes start to glisten. “We should just go home.”

She looks back to him, eyes just as cold as his words had been to her and she replies sharply, “Yes. We should.”

He blows out a breath, standing from the bench. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he calls Olivia and Henry’s names, signaling for them to come on when he catches their eyes. 

David can see the pout on Olivia’s face from all the way up here, watches as her little feet stomp all the way up the hill as Henry drags her away from the playground and her friends. She definitely gets her temper from her mother, though he suspects, a little from him as well.

“Dadddddy,” she whines when she gets to the bench. “I don’t wanna leave.”

She tells him that Eric and Eli are still getting to play, and that  _ It’s not fair _ , as she stamps her foot in defiance once more. Olivia looks to Regina, begging her to let them stay. 

“No,” David says in a clipped tone, making Olivia glance back at him before Regina can answer their daughter. “I said we’re leaving. Now.”

Olivia’s wide eyes well with tears, and Henry looks between both David and his mother with a frown. He’s old enough to clearly pick up on the tension, but he supposes this isn’t something that needs to be explained to a teenager. “Come on, Liv,” Henry says gently, looking over to Regina who is standing from the bench hastily and slinging her purse across her body. He picks his little sister up, settling her on his hip. “I’ll run you to the car like a galloping horse!”

He tosses his sister onto his back and presses a peck to Regina’s cheek before galloping away toward the car, Olivia’s giggles floating back toward David. He smiles despite himself, glad that children can be so easily distracted. Looking over to Regina, though, who has yet to say anything else, he’s reminded that his wife is not as forgetful of the tension.

With a huff, she starts to walk toward their car. Turning on her heel, she glares at him, “Are you coming?”

He bites his tongue, urging his eyes not to roll at her frustration (although deep down he knows her anger is warranted), and just nods as he walks behind her back to the car. A silent wife, especially  _ his _ wife, can never be a good thing.

{**************************}

The ride home had been awkward. Picking up a pizza for dinner had been enough to placate the children at least. And letting them watch a movie in the living room  _ while _ eating had really been the icing on top of the cake. Neither child seemed to pick up on the tension (except for Henry at the park, but once he had a mound of pizza and his cell phone in front of him, all was forgotten), which she was thankful for. 

She knows she shouldn’t be angry. Knows his brain is still jumbled and trying to work itself out, but it’s hard. One minute he’s kissing her, being loving, and making things feel like normal, and the next he’s jealous that his ex-wife is remarried. She hates this, and especially hates having no one to blame for all of it. She doesn’t know where to place her anger, no one or nothing to take her frustration out on… except for David. 

After dinner, which was eaten in complete silence by the adults, she’d forced both children to bathe after playing outside all day at the park. While Henry showered in the hall bath, she’d taken Olivia into the master bedroom’s en suite to give her a tub bath. It was nice; it gave her a distraction for a while. Sitting on the lid of the toilet, listening to their daughter ramble on about her day and how she, Eric, and Eli were playing pirates and princess — a game they had created just recently — and she smirked, and laughed, enjoying her moment away from the tension to just be with her little girl. 

When she finished with Olivia’s bath, she found Henry and David together on the couch downstairs playing video games. They were in a trance, talking every now and then, and she smiled despite her frustration. He may be upset about something, but he’d always make time for Henry. 

She hated to break the moment, but it was bedtime for their little girl, and angry or not, she knew he wouldn’t want to miss kisses and cuddles. 

Once they’d made it through Olivia’s bedtime routine together, barely making eye contact, David had gone off to their bedroom, while she went to check on Henry one more time. He was still awake, texting his girlfriend and working on his story from earlier. She’d kissed him goodnight, reminding him not to stay up too late since tomorrow was a school day. 

Walking into the room, she notices David sitting in the bed. He’s propped up against the headboard, bedside lamp on, and his reading glasses perched upon his nose as he reads from a book. 

Damn it. She always thinks her husband is sexy, but when he wears those glasses, it does things to her body. And no matter how angry or hurt she may feel, the hormones in her body are on constant overdrive lately.

She walks over to the dresser, removing her jewelry from the day. She takes off her red short sleeve top she’d been wearing, leaving her in jean shorts and a black cami. She rubs her belly, giving their baby boy a slight pat. He kicks back, causing her to smile down at her stomach. 

Looking up, she notices David’s gaze is on her. She locks eyes with him, raising her eyebrows in question. “Are we going to talk or are we going to go to bed angry?” she inquires, knowing one of their rules since day one of their marriage has been to never go to bed angry with each other.

He doesn’t know that though, she supposes, just one more thing she will have to tell him. 

“Yeah,” he scoffs with a sarcastic lift of his lip, “going to bed angry seems like a  _ great _ idea.” The sass radiates from him, and oh, that was the wrong thing to do. All the tension and frustration from the last few hours bubbles up at that, and she can no longer stay quiet.

Regina huffs an elongated irritated breath out, snatching her pajamas and making her way to the bathroom. “Get your thoughts together, David,” she clips over her shoulder toward him. “When I get back, you better have a damn good explanation for me.”

She rolls her eyes at him, a little show of petulance making her feel slightly better as she makes her way into the bathroom. She splashes her face with cool water, reaching over to grab her face wash. After cleansing her face, she brushes her teeth, furiously scrubbing at each tooth. She reminds herself not to take her anger out on her pearly whites and spits the toothpaste into the sink. Rinsing out her mouth, she inhales another deep breath, telling herself to be patient, to listen to him, to love him through this. Regina stares at herself in the mirror for a few moments, taking one calming breath after another, silently chanting  _ his brain is still confused _ over and over again to herself. 

Reaching down, she scratches at her growing skin, then rubs circles over her belly with both hands. “Here we go, baby,” she whispers, turning off the bathroom light and walking out into the bedroom.

David is sitting on the end of the bed, looking up at her when she walks out. She lifts her eyebrows again, saying, “So would you like to explain why you’ve been such an ass all night?”

David blows out a breath, running a hand over his jaw and onto his neck. “I wouldn’t say I was being an ass, I—”

“Oh, you wouldn’t?” she bites out bitterly. “So what do you call not looking at our friends — because that’s what Snow and Mulan are, David — they’re our friends,” she tells him harshly, “staring at their backs as if you want to murder one of them and bed the other, then upsetting your daughter by ending her playdate early?” Regina starts pacing the room, unable to sit. “Not to mention barely speaking to either of our children all night, not talking to  _ me _ at all, and hardly making it through Olivia’s bedtime without a scowl on your face.” She shrugs her shoulders up, 

“I was jealous, okay!?” David bursts harshly, smacking his palms onto the mattress beside him. “Is that what you want to hear, Regina?”

She looks back at him with a crease to her brow, halting her steps. She places both hands on her hips and looks pointedly at him. “Jealous of  _ what? _ ”

He stands, walking toward her. He huffs, clearly irritated, and throwing his hands in the air. “I don’t… know.” He reaches up, yanking his glasses from his face and tossing them onto the bedside table. He then scrubs at his face with both hands, angry tears forming in the corners of his eyes. She knows this man, loves this man, knows how he gets when he’s frustrated. David is not one to get angry, they’re not the couple that fights (surprisingly, despite her being known for her temper). They hardly ever argue; they talk about their problems or things that are bothering them and work it out together. They never hold things in, never at a loss for words. They’re always honest with each other, open, and perhaps that’s where her anger is coming from. He’s not being truthful. He’s not telling her what’s really bothering him. 

“Just say it, David,” she pleads to him, reminding him of their open communication. She’d told him a few weeks ago about how they never kept things from each other, and he said he liked that. It causes fewer issues and helps them to deal with problems together. 

He sighs, coming to stand right in front of her. “I don’t want to fight anymore,” he admits with watery eyes, all the anger that had been building up between them seeming to slowly fade away. 

“I don’t want to either,” she agrees with a slight shrug of one shoulder, her heart rate slowing back down. She takes a deep breath, looking up to meet his gaze. “We never argue. We  _ talk _ . But you’re not talking,” she explains, looking up into his eyes. “You’re just ignoring me and brooding.”

David sighs again, blinking slowly before looking down into her eyes. “Regina… I’m _angry_ ,” he growls out, voice raising a level of two as his eyebrows cinch together. Her eyes snap to his, about to question why he’s angry with _her_ when he takes a deep breath and continues with, “My heart and my brain are telling me two completely different things and I’m tired of it,” he concedes, looking at her sadly. More of her frustration dissipates looking at his desperate eyes. He goes on, plopping back down onto the mattress and letting his legs hang off the side, feet firmly planted on the ground, “My brain thinks I’m in love with Snow because that’s all it remembers, but my heart is slowly falling for _you_ all over again.”

Her breath whooshes out of her, and she stares down at him, wide-eyed, wondering if she just heard him correctly. Did her husband finally admit that he cares for her? Regina starts to speak, but David continues with a huff and a, “I have feelings for you.  _ Real _ feelings,” he emphasizes, frustrated tears welling in his eyes again. “And I’m going  _ insane _ ,” he chokes out over a lump in his throat. “It’s like there’s two different people inside of me, Regina, and the one buried down below, the one that once loved you is  _ clawing _ his way out trying to get back to you.”

He’s rambling now, hands hitting the mattress for emphasis as he spews all the feelings he’s clearly had bottled up inside for a while, and all she can do is continue to look deep into his crystal blue eyes, tears brimming in her own as he vows, “I  _ want _ to be with you. I can’t help that my brain still remembers being married to Snow.” He stands again abruptly and reaches out, placing his hands on her hips. “Do  _ not _ mistake that for thinking I’m actually in love with her.” Without warning, he leans in, crashing his lips with hers passionately. She whimpers unexpectedly, looping her arms around his neck, her fingers tangling into the hair at the base of his neck.

They stand there, tongues seeking and meeting, as a groan escapes from the back of David’s throat. Regina takes a step closer, bringing her body as close as she can with their unborn child in between them. His lips travel from hers down to her neck, sucking at her pulse point and causing a moan to fall from her lips. Her head tilts forward, biting into the flesh of his shoulder to stifle another, louder, moan threatening to erupt from her. She sighs as she feels his tongue run along the vein in her neck, down to her collarbone and kissing the wet trail he’s created back up to her mouth. He catches her lips again, full of desire, and Regina scratches at the back of his neck as his tongue once again finds hers. Pulling back, Regina looks at him with a bewildered smile on her face.

They’re both panting slightly, out of breath from that kiss alone. An embrace that felt so right, so missed, so  _ needed _ . She’s been longing to feel her husband’s lips on hers like  _ that  _ for weeks now — not the light pecks or gentle kisses they’ve been sharing, not even the kisses from their moments of making out. No, she’s been wanting those deep, lustful lip locks that David is so good at delivering. 

“David,” she breathes, stepping back to look at him more fully. “I know you don’t love me yet... but I need you.” She takes a breath, letting it out as she rubs a hand over her swollen stomach. He may not have his feelings back for her, but in this moment she doesn’t care. He’s falling for her, getting closer to loving her, and that’s good enough for her. “I’m just so…” she pushes out a laugh through her nose while pointing to her belly, “... horny!” 

“Oh, god,” David moans, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him. He runs his hands down her spine to rest on her ass as he tells her, “I need you too, Regina.” 

She smiles as he swoops in, pressing his lips to hers again urgently. She brings her hands up, pulling at the material of his shirt. Regina gathers it in her hands, coaxing him to walk toward their bed. 

He gets the memo, nodding his acknowledgment as he walks forward, taking her with him. The back of her knees hit the mattress, and she sinks onto the bed. He stands over her, peering down at her like he’s never seen someone so beautiful. She blushes, shaking her head as she reaches up and pulls on the hem of his cotton t-shirt. “This. Off,” she demands as she begins pulling it up. He has to finish since she can’t reach his shoulders from her position, and she leans back on her elbows, appreciating her husband’s sculpted torso. 

She snaps out of her viewing and rips her own shirt off, suddenly self conscious when she remembers her large stomach. She lays a hand over it, as if that would cover it up, and slings her other arm across her chest in an attempt to cover her swollen breasts. She looks over at her discarded shirt, considering bringing it back up to cover herself, and cursing herself for not putting on a sports bra to sleep in tonight, but David follows her eyes and seems to understand her hesitation. 

He leans down, pushing her further onto the bed as he dots kisses to her nose and mouth. “Don’t,” he says, pressing a deeper kiss to her lips. “You’re gorgeous.”

She sighs, smiling up at him as he settles between her legs. He grazes his hand along her chest, cupping a breast in his hand and placing a light kiss to her nipple. He strokes the other one, causing her nipples to harden like pebbles. He skims his lips from one breast to the next, leaving little pecks to her skin as he makes his way to the other one. His tongue swirls around her peak, making her moan and arch her back, pressing it further into his mouth. He pulls back, grinning down at her, then lightly caresses down her belly, running a fingertip down over the bump of her stomach to her navel and to the elastic waist of her pajama shorts.

Regina tilts her head, watching as his mouth follows the same pattern his finger had just done, kissing and licking from her chest to her stomach. She smirks when David’s mouth gets to the top of her silk shorts, and she nods when he looks up around her stomach at her to make sure she’s alright with this. 

“Do it,” she implores, sitting up on her elbows once more to watch his every move. 

David smirks, biting down on his bottom lip as he hooks a finger in the waistband and hastily yanks them down her legs. She shimmies her hips a bit, helping him to discard her body of the shorts and panties.

Once she’s bare before him, he pauses, raking his eyes over her now fully naked form. “Wow,” he sighs, shaking his head. “You are…” he smiles brightly, looking her in the eye, “breathtaking.”

She rolls her eyes, thinking how this lustful moment has morphed into a sweet and tender thing thanks to her husband’s caring gaze and soft caresses. He always did like to savor the moment and take his time — which drove her crazy in heated times, like now. 

“David,” she purrs, pulling him from his perusal of her body. His hands have been tantalizingly tracing every curve of her body and each touch is turning her on more and more. She can feel the wetness pooling between her legs from just his touch. “As great as your hands feel,” she smirks up at him when he stops roaming over her thighs, “I need more. Now.”

He nods, leaning down to press a kiss to neck, then her nose, and chin. His lips make their way further down — a suck to her left nipple, one that makes her jump in anticipation, a peck to her stomach, and finally to her thigh as he slides down to his knees on the plush carpet of their bedroom floor. 

Without saying anything, he grabs her by the knees, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed. She helps him out, wiggling her body so she’s in the right position, ass on the edge of the mattress and legs slung over his shoulders. 

David moans when he is on eye level with her core. He looks up at her one more time through hooded lids, though she’s not quite certain he can actually see her anymore over her stomach, and plants soft kisses to her inner thighs while his hands rub along her legs, making her thankful she had actually managed to shave her legs yesterday morning. “So beautiful,” he whispers, leaning in to place an exaggerated peck to her bikini line.

She shivers, letting out a deep breath, excited for what’s to come. 

“Do it, David,” she urges, patience running thin the closer his mouth gets to her wetness. He chuckles out an  _ Alright, I am, babe _ as his fingers spread her open.

She whimpers helplessly, letting her head drop on to the mattress below her, savoring the feel of his hands on her again. He takes his time, frustratingly, letting his fingers explore her center. He runs his finger along her slit, leaning back on his calves to look up at her and notes, “Shit, you’re soaked.”

She nods, taking a deep breath. “Yeah,” she chuckles, “and if you thought I was mad at you earlier, you’re really going to see me turn into the Evil Queen if you don’t get to work down there.”

Snickering, David moves his eyes from hers back to her body, dipping a finger into her wetness, riling her up for a few moments. She moans, eyes rolling shut as he adds another finger. In and out, over and over, his fingers going in all the way to the knuckle. She’s panting already, loving the feel of her husband’s fingers inside of her. Before she can get too close to the edge, he stops, pulling his fingers from inside her with a wet pop. She opens her eyes, peering down at him over her rounded belly. 

David smirks up at her, placing his fingers in his mouth one at a time, clearly savoring the taste of her on his tongue. He lets out a throaty moan, and she bites down on her bottom lip. The sight of him doing that is beyond sexy, and she needs him now more than ever. “Fuck, you taste so good,” he tells her, his hands gripping her thighs. He places wet kisses to her inner thighs, slowly moving closer and closer to her core. “I can’t wait to taste you for real.”

“Then do it,” she begs him breathlessly. She reaches down, attempting to run her fingers through his hair, but from where he sits on his knees, peering into her center like it’s a five course Thanksgiving meal, she can’t quite reach, so she plays it off, not wanting to interrupt the moment to laugh at her belly being in the way, and caresses her hip, running her hand up her stomach and to her breast then back down to rest on her hip again. 

David smiles up at her, hands constantly roaming over her lower body. He squeezes her fingers that rest on her side lightly, mimicking the trail she’s just taken over her own skin by moving his hand up her stomach to touch her breasts. They’re more sensitive than normal now that she’s all hot and bothered, but the pressure feels nice. It’s like a tiny zing sending shivers all over her body. He brings his hands back down, placing kisses to her thighs once more. He shifts under the weight of her legs, lifting them from his shoulders slightly and asking, “Are you comfortable?”

Regina bends her torso to the side so that she can get a good look at him, smiling sweetly down at her husband as she reassures that she’s quite content. “I’m more worried that I’m hurting you.”

He smirks, settling her legs back on his shoulders, telling her that he’s  _ just fine where I am _ , as he rubs his hands up from her knees to her thighs. 

She’s going to combust if he doesn’t stop teasing her, so she tells him that, threatens him within an inch of his life, claiming she’d hate to take matters into her own hands when he could just as easily get down to business and eat her out. He chuckles at her threat, shaking his head and saying he wants to enjoy this.

Regina quickly reminds him that they’re married, they have the rest of their lives to savor and enjoy the moments. Right now she just wants to be eaten and then fucked.

David grins wolfishly at that, tongue peeking out as it enters her, slowing trailing from the back all the way up to the top. Regina squirms, moaning at the sensation. She’s waited so many weeks to feel this again, to feel his tongue on her, lapping up her juices, and it’s better than she remembers, better than any fantasy she could have ever conjured. 

His tongue swirls around her clit a few times, and her hands fly up to grip the sheet on either side of her head, twisting them around her finger tips. “ _ Yes _ ,” she hisses, wiggling and twisting her body so she’s able to reach down and run her fingers through his blonde hair.

He grips her hips, gently pushing her back further onto the bed. He removes his mouth just long enough to hover above her, both on the bed now. David leans in, capturing her lips, and she groans at the taste of her on his lips. She swirls her tongue in his mouth, widening her legs further to let him in between her thighs. And this is much better, she decides, she’s not having to twist around her belly to touch him. He’s here now, above her; she can feel the heat radiating from his body, and it’s just turning her on even more. 

She’s more at the top of the bed now, back resting against the pillows, and David lowers his body once more, trailing a finger along her center before placing a kiss to her exposed clit. She jumps at that, giggling and biting down on her bottom lip. She looks down at him with hooded eyes, watching as he spreads her legs just a bit more, then licks his lips and places them back where she needs him most. He takes him time, exploring her core like it’s a treasure he’s just rediscovered, which, she supposes, it is to him. His tongue moves up and back, exploring every inch of her sex, his nose bumping her clit with every pass. His tongue flicks her bud, teasing her into a frenzy before moving back down. It makes her shiver and quake, wanting him to finally take hold of her clit and suck until she’s screaming his name.

He gives her one last tantalizing flick before finally latching on to her exposed clit, making her hiss out an exaggerated  _ Yessss, God, Daviddddd _ . When his mouth hits  _ that _ spot, she bucks into his face, gripping his hair to hold him there. She can feel his smirk against her wet core as he takes her clit into his mouth again, sucking and moaning at the taste. Regina barely has to use words, doesn’t need to direct him to any particular spot he’s missing. He’s hitting all the right places, the ones that turn her to mush under his tongue’s ministrations. She has an odd thought, a vague wondering of if his body remembers how to please her, where to touch her, without his mind doing it. Has to be,  _ ohhh _ , muscle memory because this is amazing and,  _ ah, yes, David, fuck,  _ she loves the way he makes her feel.

She can feel her orgasm building inside of her, coiling in her belly like a spring waiting to be set free. Regina brings her hands up, rubbing her over sensitive nipples (which only causes her to get even closer to her release). “Dav -  _ shit _ ,” she moans, reminding herself that one child may be asleep, but the other one is more than likely still awake in his room down the hall. She clamps a hand over her mouth as he sucks at her again, tongue flicking and nipping to bring her over the edge.

He moans into her, the vibrations setting Regina on fire, so close she can feel it. She nods frantically, sighing into her hand while trying to suppress a cry of ecstasy. Giving her one last hard suck and another vibrating moan from his throat, she can’t hold it in any longer and lets go, her core clenching around his face as she comes on his tongue. 

David hums deeply, sucking and lapping up the juices being released from her. He mumbles something, she assumes her name, but all she can think is how amazing her body feels right now. Sure, she’s had orgasms since getting pregnant, but the last few weeks they’ve been delivered by her own hand or a vibrator. This,  _ this _ , was amazing. Mind blowing. Exactly what she’s been needing. 

She finally has her husband back in the one way she hasn’t since he woke up from his coma. Tears spring to her eyes at the emotion of it all, and she quickly blinks them away, admonishing herself for letting her hormones rage through her like this in  _ this _ moment. 

David spends a few more minutes down there, licking and sucking, murmuring that he’s just trying to  _ make sure she’s all clean _ . 

She giggles, settling into the mattress while he finishes, her body still twitching from the aftershocks of her orgasm. 

After his thorough cleaning, David slides from between her legs, standing and hooking his fingers in the waistband of his boxers; he slides them down his waist to join his shirt on the floor. Standing before her, completely naked, Regina can’t help but rake her eyes over his toned body. Her husband is gorgeous, hot and sexy, and she’s reminded once again how damn lucky she is to have him. 

He climbs back onto the bed, settling on his side as she leans up on the palms of her hands, sliding back so her back is resting against the headboard. 

“You taste incredible,” David tells her, leaning over to kiss her mouth. She moans into him, tasting herself on his tongue again. Her hand comes up, scratching at his stubble, and she smiles when he loops an arm over her torso, bringing himself to hover over her body. “ _ That _ was incredible.”

Regina smirks, leaning up to press anther peck to his lips, saying, “I’m not even close to being done,” and shimmies her way down so her head is resting against the pillow once more. Her hands travel down, running along his torso, and she can feel his muscles jump at her touch. Regina smirks sultrily, reaching up and grabbing David by the shoulder, pulling him down toward her. “I want you, David,” she says between kisses. “I need you,” she presses a tongue filled kiss to his lips, “inside me,” another peck, “right now.”

David looks down at her, tracing his hand along her stomach. He looks into her brown eyes, and all she can see is love shining back in them. She smiles, the whole atmosphere of the room changing. They’d first started out so frantic but quickly slowed down thanks to David’s teasing touches and now he’s taking even more time, caressing her body up and down and planting soft kisses to her skin. It’s almost hotter this way, the anticipation of what she knows is to come growing inside her.  

She can feel her body responding to his touch, can feel her core throbbing for him to be inside of her. David leans in closer to her face, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. It lasts a few seconds, long enough for her to wrap an arm around his neck and pull him closer. She loves this, loves feeling his body pressed against hers.  

Regina can feel his length against her thigh, can feel how hard he is already for her. She grins, reaching down to take him in her hand. 

David’s eyes close, a sigh escaping his lips. “God, Regina,” he moans as she starts to pump her hand up and down. “Fuck, that feels amazing.”

He tells her how he’s thought about her for so many weeks, how he’s touched himself and imagined it was her. His honesty about his fantasies turn her on even more, and she suddenly can’t wait. She needs her husband now before she burst into a ball of flames. 

“I love you, David,” she tells him, knowing he’s not ready to say it just yet. He doesn’t quite feel that love, but he’s getting there and that’s all she needs for now. She leans up, pressing her lips to his as she slides her hand up and down his thick length once more. 

He reaches down, taking his cock in his hand and guides it to her entrance. Lining himself up with her, he slides in, just the tip at first. She moans at the contact, realizing just how much she’s missed this these last few weeks. Her eyes close from the pleasure, but she reminds herself to keep them open. She wants to watch her husband, wants to see him as he makes love to her.

She nods, giving him permission to slide in all the way when he looks down at her. “Please, David,” she whispers breathlessly.

That’s all he needs apparently because he pushes in further, burying himself to the hilt. David moans at the sensation, not moving for a few moments, obviously reveling in the feel of her around him. She doesn’t mind, she needs a moment, too. He feels incredible, somehow thicker than she remembers him being. She’s tight and wet and longs for him desperately. 

“So tight,” he murmurs, “You feel incredible.”

Regina hums pleasantly, nodding and telling him  _ You feel amazing too, baby. _

He starts to move, thrusting in and out slowly while pressing kisses to her neck. He leans down, licking her left nipple before taking it into her mouth and sucking. 

“Mmm!” she shouts, eyes widening at her volume level and clamping a hand over her mouth once more. “Too much on the nipple,” she tells him, chuckling a bit at how much more sensitive they are to his touch than her own. 

“Oh,” he gasps, leaning back some. “I’m sorry.”

They laugh together lightly as she tells him  _ It’s okay _ , and she explains that her body is just more easily affected by these sensations now. 

She pulls him as close as he can come, leaning up to kiss his lips. He starts moving again, in and out, in and out, and she can feel herself already getting close. She curses her pregnant body, wanting this to last. She leans up again as he thrusts into her, wanting another kiss. This position is awkward though, having to lean up to get a kiss, or to touch him, her protruding stomach making it difficult. 

Regina flops back into the pillow with a huff, and David stills his motions, his hands stopping their loving strokes as well to rest on either side of her head. “You okay, babe?”

She huffs out a laugh through her nose, shaking her head. “I’m fine. It’s just…” she sighs, “this position is kind of hard now with,” she motions to her stomach, “this in between us.”

David smiles softly, leaning down to kiss her nose, then her lips. “How do you want to do it?” he asks, saying he’ll try any position as long as he gets to have her.

Chuckling, Regina suggest switching so she’s on top. They’ve never been a vanilla couple, never only sticking to one position. She’s pretty sure they’ve tried them all, so she shouldn’t feel silly asking for a new one, but it’s the timing of having to ask that’s making her feel self conscious. She realizes that she normally wouldn’t, and shouldn’t, but with the pressure and excitement of their first time since his accident weighing on her, plus the notion that he doesn’t remember ever seeing her naked body before tonight, she can’t help but feel a little embarrassed. 

He gleams brightly, assuring her it’s fine. He can clearly see the apprehension on her face, and as he rolls over, bringing her with him so she’s straddling his waist, he props himself up onto his elbows and kisses her deeply. She settles onto his lap, her core’s heat radiating on to his skin.

She moans into his kiss, bringing a hand up to run through his hair. They break apart, David smiling brightly up at her. She smiles too, nodding to the unspoken question of  _ Is this better? _ And she moves her body down a bit more, taking his still hard length in her hands.

His eyes close, his elbows and head falling back onto the mattress and her lips turn up in a coy grin, always loving how her touch could turn him into a pile of goo. She strokes him a few more times, and he playfully warns her that if she wants to actually have sex, they better get to it before he explodes from just her hand’s touch.

Regina chuckles as David perches himself back up onto his elbows. She appreciates that, it’s easier to reach him when he’s partially sitting up. She leans down to kiss his shoulder, then sits up, guiding his cock into her entrance once more. She moans as she slides down his length, savoring each and every inch that she takes in. 

“Ohhh,” she moans, moving up and down slowly. “This is much better.”

David smirks, taking hold of her hips as they deliberately grind above him. His grip tightens on her skin and she smiles. She does love being in control, and this position not only feels better on her stomach (not as much pressure to her hips as when she was laying down), but she can control how deep she takes him and how slow or fast they go. She can torture him, she thinks with a wry grin. This’ll be fun.  

“Fuck, Regina,” he moans out, thrusting his hips up into her. It’s deeper like that, and he hits a spot she didn’t even realize they were missing. 

Regina lets out a loud  _ Yes! _ as she speeds up her movements, forget slowly torturing him like he did to her early, she wants to take him faster now, deeper. David reminds her that Henry might still be awake, and she nods, trying to quiet herself again, but she can’t help it. This is amazing. She’s missed this and needs him, all of him, as deep as he can go. 

Regina leans back on her palms, lifting herself up and sitting back down on his cock over and over again, causing a loud yelp of pleasure to escape from her husband. She teases him back, warning about the children, and he groans, vowing to take her in every room possible when the kids aren’t home so they can yell as loud as they want. 

She groans as her eyes roll to the back of her head, swearing, “You better make good on that promise, Charming.”

David looks up at her with a pleased expression written all over his face, leaning up to suck on her nipples once more. He’s gentler this time, obviously not wanting to hurt her, and she smiles at how loving his touch is. 

He lets out a stuttered  _ Oh, Regina, yessss _ as he pushes into her once more, his mouth coming down so his teeth can sink into her shoulder, muffling his sounds of pleasure. “Yes, babe, god you feel amazing.” His hands come up, caressing her sides before moving down to cup her ass, helping her move against him.

Regina moans back at the sensation of his teeth in her flesh, and she’s so close to edge she can almost taste it. She rocks her hips faster, panting and whispering his name into the space between them as their sweat slicked bodies rub together.

God, she loves this man. Still can’t believe sometimes that he chose her over Snow White, but damn is she glad he did. 

“David,” she breathes, panting more now, her movements getting more frantic as she moves on his cock. “I’m cl- close!”

He moans in response, promising he is not far behind. “Let go, Regina.”

She thrusts a few more times, bouncing up and down on his length as his hips drive and grind into hers. She leans in closer to him, pressing one, two, three kisses to his neck before capturing his lips with hers. 

Sitting back, she rocks her hips more, his cock hitting that spot over and over and  _ over _ again. One of his hands moves from his grip on her ass, coming to press and rub circles over her clit, and  _ oh, fuck, yes, _ she thinks, that’s exactly what she needed. She covers her mouth, muffling a scream into the palm of her hand as her orgasm hits her, washing over her like a wave crashing upon the shore. 

David is not far behind, as promised, and after a few more rocks of her hips, he’s thrusting into her sex, coming and screaming  _ Yes, Reginaaaaa _ as he buries his head into the pillow to stop the sound from traveling. 

Regina rolls off of him, their come dribbling down her thigh, and she sighs, settling next to him in the bed.

He looks over at her, smiling brightly. “You know,” he says cheekily, “next time, you should put a sound proofing spell over the room.”

Regina laughs at him, shaking her head, but realizing that’s not such a bad idea. “Now why didn’t I think of that sooner?”

They smirk at each other, David’s arm looping around her waist as she cuddles into his side. 

She presses a kiss to his pec and runs her hand up and down his torso, sighing contently. He smiles down at her, lifting her hand that’s resting on his chest up to his mouth. He presses a kiss to each knuckle then pulls her just a touch closer to his body.  

They lay there for a few minutes, the silence enveloping them into a peaceful cocoon. The fan is on, the whirring of it lulling her to sleep. She’s almost there when she feels David press his lips to the top of her head and say, “I’m sorry about earlier."

She tilts her head to look at him, shaking her head. “All is forgiven. Do you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” he vows, running his hand through her hair lovingly. 

_ Schnookums _ , she thinks sadly, knowing in the past he would’ve punctuated that sentence by calling her his special nickname. A name that he wasn’t allowed to repeat in public; it was theirs and only theirs. She’s not even sure Henry has ever heard him call her that. 

It was a name this ridiculous prince had given to her when they were dating — his attempt to pick the worst pet name ever just to annoy her. She’d rolled her eyes as far to the ceiling as they would go the night he’d tried out different names and settled on that one. They were laying on the couch, tangled together by the fire, and she’d sworn if he kept calling her schnookums she’d break up with him. He’d just laughed her off, of course, saying her hatred for the name was  _ even more reason to pick that one.  _

She shook her head imperceptibly against David’s chest, thinking how she’d grown to secretly love the little name over the months that followed. It had stuck, carrying over into their marriage, and David would find ways to whisper it in her ear when the kids were around, too, just to make her laugh. He’d called her by her pet name the morning of his accident,  _ See you later, Schnookums _ is what he’d mumbled into her hair before pressing a kiss there and helping Olivia down from the kitchen stool to walk to the bus stop. Regina had rolled her eyes and gone back to washing the dishes from their breakfast, but now she’d give anything to hear him call her that one more time.

She can feel tears rising and a lump forming at the treacherous voice inside her head claiming  _ you might never hear him call you schnookums again _ , but it’s special to them, to who they are as a couple, and she’s not quite ready to tell him about it yet. She’s secretly hoping it’ll come back to him soon without any prodding. 

“You alright?” he asks, looking down at her. 

She just smiles, choking back her emotions and nodding, assuring him, “I’m perfect.”

They beam at each other, leaning in at the same time to press their lips to one another. They stay there, trading lazy kisses for a bit longer, hands roaming and wandering over each other’s naked skin. It’s perfect, Regina thinks, as close to perfect as it can be without him memories or without him loving her. But he’s said he was falling for her all over again, and that’s pretty damn great in her books.

“So you like me, huh?” she jokes, poking at his exposed stomach. Her fingers walk along his abdomen muscles and she tilts her head back, looking up at his handsome face. 

He smiles brightly, clearly thinking back to his admission earlier of beginning to fall for her all over again. “Kind of hard not to,” he replies sincerely, running his hand up and down her spine. It sends a shiver down her body, and she grins to herself at the reaction her skin has to his touch. 

She laughs, leaning up to press her lips to his. “Good, because I kind of like you too.” 

He returns her kiss, and she sighs happily, leaning her head back into the crook of his neck. He pats her naked rear, whispering, “Come on, I think we need a shower.”

Regina sits up, looking down at her beautifully naked husband and agrees. David smirks, swinging his legs off the side of the bed as she does the same, and as they make their way to the en suite bathroom, he takes her hand in his, intertwining their fingers all the way there. 

They spend the next half hour enjoying each other again in the shower with roaming hands, passionate kisses, and Regina’s skilled lips around David’s cock. They take some time washing their bodies, while also affectionately skimming over each other’s naked forms, unable to get enough of one another now. Once they’re satiated, clean, and dressed once more in pajamas, they make their way back to bed, cuddling and talking the rest of the night before finally falling asleep in each other’s arms.

She’s content, and happy, and she wouldn’t trade this night for anything.

{************************************}

_ Thanks for being patient waiting for a new chapter. I hope this was worth the wait... as always, please leave a review and let me know what you thought! :) _


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who left a review on the last chapter - it’s nice to hear what people think about the updates. We are getting closer to the end, but don’t worry! I keep adding stuff to my outline because I love these two so much haha... As always, please leave a review and let me know what y’all thought!   
> {**************************}

**Chapter Eight**

“Daddy! Mommy! Wake up!”

“What’s the matter?” Regina asks sleepily, rolling over with a grunt to look toward their daughter as she approaches the bed. Her hair is mussed from the sleep she was blissfully awarded last night from the baby in her stomach, and she pushes it from her eyes, tossing it back and over her shoulder. 

David sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he brings Olivia to lay in between their bodies. 

“Nothing!” the little girl giggles happily as she plops down into the space on the mattress. Snuggling into David’s side, she looks up at him and exclaims gleefully, “It’s my birthday!”

Regina’s face falls suddenly, bewilderment clouding her features. Grabbing her phone frantically from the night stand, she touches the home button, bringing the screen to life.  _ Shit. Fuck. _ September 10. Her birthday  _ is _ today. How could she have forgotten? She knew Olivia’s birthday was coming up, of course she did, it was her daughter. They’d even made jokes about how Olivia and the new baby’s birthdays were going to be so close, just a few weeks apart from each other.  _ Damn it. _ Looking over to David, guilt floods her as the look of confusion colors his face. His eyebrows scrunch together, and he looks to Regina for answers. 

She’s going to murder this pregnancy brain. She’d been so overwhelmed this week with doctor’s appointments for her, taking David to therapy while his car was in the shop (some residual problem from the accident that Michael’s Garage hadn’t found the first time they repaired it), and running Henry and Olivia to and from after school writing and ballet classes respectively. It had just been one of those wildly assiduous weeks; she was lucky if she even remembered to stop and eat lunch during the work day as she tried to get all her mayoral duties completed in a timely manner before the next family member needed her for something (In fact, there were several days her assistant had to order lunch and bring it into her just to remind Regina it was time to eat).

“David,” she breathes, shaking her head. Regina closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she can see the hurt in her husband’s eyes and knows that his frustration isn’t all toward her. 

Ever since he got his memories of Olivia back a little over a month ago, he’s struggled to recall little details. He’d forgotten her favorite color one week, and things like her favorite movie or food, and now, apparently, her birthday, have slipped his mind. 

She feels terrible. The worst mother and wife in the world. She should have reminded him when it was on her mind last week. Rubbing her thirty-one week pregnant belly, wondering where the last eight months have gone all of a sudden, she looks over to David once more as he glances down to Olivia with a bright smile on his face. 

“I… it is? That’s so exciting!” he tries to sound cheerful as he scoops their little girl into his arms, lifting her above his head, then brings her back down to rest beside him.

Olivia looks hurt, though, her little snicker while she was in the air seeming like a betrayal to how she really feels. The look on her sweet baby’s face stabs Regina in the heart. She never wants to see that look on Olivia’s face again as the tiny brunette looks up to David with wide, blue eyes. “You forgot, Daddy?”

Before the tears can fall from any of their eyes, Regina takes a deep breath and reaches out to Olivia. Tucking her finger under her chin, she lifts the girl’s face up and reminds her that  _ Daddy's brain is— _

" _ — _ Sick; I know, Mama, but it's my birthday!" Olivia cries pitfully, standing up on the mattress and looking down at her parents with sad eyes and little hands perched upon her hips. 

David sits up straighter in the bed, tears forming in his eyes as he looks between Regina and Olivia. Taking her small hand in his large one, he gently pulls their daughter back down to him, rubbing Liv's back. He tells her he'll take her to a special birthday breakfast at Granny's to make up for it. 

Regina closes her eyes in defeat, sighing all over again, and Olivia starts to cry once more saying, "That's what we  _ always _ do anyway!" 

David looks to Regina, tears now fully formed in his eyes. As one trickles down his cheek, Regina reaches up to swipe it away, then over to her own face to wipe her tears away as well. They lay there, all three of them crying sadly, wishing things could just be how they used to be. She would give anything for their lives to return to normal, for her children and David’s sakes; she reminds herself that she just has to accept that this is the new normal now and they have to learn to make the most of it. 

Taking another deep breath, Regina soothingly rubs Olivia’s back for a few moments, shushing her and willing the girl to calm down. She whispers into her hair that’ll  _ It’ll be okay _ , as David dots kisses to her forehead.

Olivia’s breathing finally evens out, the smalls hiccups coming to a stop, and she sighs out. Sitting up, she smiles cheerlessly down at David, murmuring, “Will you wear my favorite shirt?”

His eyes light up as a smile forms on his face. Regina knows he remembers  _ this _ detail. Olivia has always loved this worn out red and black flannel shirt of his. He’d had it for years and their daughter would alway curl up into his side whenever he wore it, sucking her thumb as a toddler and falling asleep in his arms as she rubbed the sleeve of it between her pudgy finger tips. 

“Now that I can do!” David said elatedly, standing up and scooping Liv into his arms. He spins her around, causing a giggle to erupt from her pouty lips, and a huge smile forms on Regina’s face watching them.

David sets the little girl down on the ground, tapping her nose and telling her to go get dressed and to wake Henry up so they could all go to her birthday breakfast. 

“Okay, Daddy!” Olivia squeals, rushing from the room. 

Swinging her legs over the edge of the mattress, Regina stands, stretching her stiff back. It’s been hurting more the further she gets into her pregnancy and she makes a mental note (that she’ll probably forget later) to schedule a prenatal massage before this baby gets any bigger. She huffs, placing a hand to her forehead as she remembers that she also forgot to go by and pick up the party supplies she’d ordered from Ashley’s party store,  _ Cinderella’s Soirées _ . She meant to do it the other day after her checkup with Dr. Whale, but Henry had called asking if he could go to the arcade with Grace and by time the phone call had ended she was halfway home, completely forgetting she had been on her way to the store. This fucking pregnancy brain will be the death of her; it was never this bad when she was pregnant with Olivia. But she is also going to have a strong word with Ashley for not calling to remind her she had a pick up. That’s just bad business.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, she looks over her shoulder to David. He’s standing, staring into their walk in closet with a scowl on his face. 

“Are you okay?” she asks tentatively, walking to place her palm in between his shoulder blades. She presses a kiss to his shoulder, feeling him take a deep, shuddering breath.

He blows out his breath, walking into the closet. As he grabs the flannel shirt Olivia had requested, he looks over to her dejectedly. “This is just so hard, Regina.”

Giving him a sympathetic smile, though it’s more of a grimace, she nods, telling him she knows. Despite her inner turmoil over their daughter’s distress, she reassures him that Olivia is fine, that she understands as best as she can for a six (well, now seven) year old. “You guys will go to your annual birthday breakfast while I set up for the party, and everything will be alright.”

“You’re not going?” he asks with concern, looking over at her.

Smiling, she shakes her head, explaining that it’s a tradition the three of them have. Every year on the day of their parties, David takes the kids to Granny’s while she bakes the birthday cake. “I surprise them each year with a cake, never letting them know what it’s going to look like until right before the party.”

He smiles at her, nodding, saying that sounds adorable. 

Regina chuckles, telling him, “It actually started right after Emma got back from the Enchanted Forest. It was Henry’s birthday and I wanted to surprise him with a storybook shaped cake.” Laughing, she informs him it wasn’t her best work, but David, in his attempt to win Regina back, had taken Henry to breakfast to give her time to concentrate on the cake design. Ever since then, Regina has perfected her cake decorating skills, creating all different types of cake shapes - from Dora the Explorer, to a video game controller for Henry, and an assortment of ladybugs and butterflies last year for Olivia’s insect themed party.

“What’s this year’s cake going to be?” he asks with a grin.

Matching his smirk, she lifts an eyebrow, telling him it’s a surprise  _ Even for you _ .

Sighing as he slips the shirt over his shoulders, he looks up at Regina. “I just feel like she’s still so upset. What if she wants you there?”

Watching him button his shirt, wishing they had time for her to  _ un _ button it and kiss her way down his firm chest, she shakes her head, huffing out a bit of laughter through her nose. “Olivia is a daddy’s girl through and through and you know that. She wants you to take her like you always do… and she’s fine. I promise.”

Walking out of the closet, David takes her hand, leading her over to the two light gray chairs that reside near the large window in their room. He helps her into one before taking his spot in the other, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.  

“I know she’s fine now,” he tells her, “but she was so upset. I  _ hate _ this.” Blowing out a frustrated breath, he brings her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I just wish there was some spell or a potion you could make that would bring back all of my memories.”

It’s not the first time he’s said these words to her, and she agrees. She’s searched every spell book in her vault for weeks on end trying to find some way to bring back his memories. When he’d first woken up two months ago, she’d spent all her free time (and even working hours) down in her vault, trying to create a potion that might work or find some magical solution to their problem but to no avail. Not even Rumple had a remedy for her to try.

David’s problem wasn’t a curse or the result of some magical experiment gone wrong; it was scientific, the result of a horrible accident and magic couldn’t fix it.

She leans over as best she can, pressing her lips to his lightly. Regina cups his cheek, confirming once again that there’s no way to magically bring his memories back, but he’s making so much progress. “I’m so proud of you, David,” she vows to him wholeheartedly. “You’ve done so much with your therapy the last few weeks to remember as much as you can. You’re getting there!”

And it was true. He’d been seeing Archie twice a week, and with the therapist’s help, he was remembering more and more. Most of the time it was small, minute instances of his life, but it was something. More than that, though, Archie was helping David cope with the idea of never fully remembering his life.

David sighs, rubbing a hand down his scruffy jaw as he leans back in the plush armchair. “I feel awful,” he admits sorrowfully. “What kind of father forgets his child’s birthday?”

Regina tears up again, rubbing circles on her stomach. Their baby boy sends a jolt of energy to her, making her smile despite the circumstance. He always seems to know when she needs a little bit of extra comfort. “A father with amnesia, David.” She stands, waddling the few steps that separate their chairs to join him on his seat, perching herself as much as possible on the arm of the chair while her legs dangle between his parted ones. She’s thankful in this moment that her figure hasn’t quite left her, her body hasn’t bloated or enlarged too much anywhere except her belly (and her fingers in the morning). She looks nothing like Ruby did seven years ago when they were pregnant at the same time, thank God. Poor girl was swollen almost the entire pregnancy, always cursing Regina for her “regular sized belly”. His hand finds purchase on her thigh as she settles into her spot, giving it a quick pulse. “I’m the one who should feel like shit, not you.”

He looks at her then, eyes locking as he silently questions her as to why. She sighs, “I completely forgot her birthday was today,  _ and _ forgot to remind you. What kind of wife and mother does  _ that _ ?” She reaches up, pointing to her stomach and humorlessly smirking, saying  _ this _ is the only excuse she has. 

“I just…” He huffs irritably, leaning back a touch in his chair, “I wish I could remember. I know you’ve tried to find a potion,” he tells her, and she nods in confirmation once more, running a hand through his hair, “but there has to be  _ something _ I can do.”

David looks up at her with a pain in his eye she’s never seen before. He proclaims that there’s a sense of longing in his mind, like his literal  _ soul _ is crying out for him to remember his family, his life. “I know I’m a father and a husband,” he says around an obvious lump in his throat, “I have those memories of the kids, and flashes of memories of you, but it’s still just… like a photograph sometimes.”

“What do you mean?” she implores, leaning down to press a kiss to his temple, breathing out against his skin as she nuzzles her nose into his hairline before pulling back. 

He’s crying silently now, tears escaping down his cheeks, as he explains how he loves Henry and Olivia, but sometimes when he forgets little specifics of their lives, he feels like he’s made no progress, like nothing has changed since he first woke up and he’s back to only feeling like he’s watched a movie of his life instead of actually living it. 

“I know you love me, Regina, can see it in your eyes but my brain can’t comprehend that.” He reaches up, wiping the tears from his cheeks as he takes a calming breath. 

She breathes deeply too, urging the tears sprinkling her cheeks to dry up and go away.

“I love our children, and I’m falling for you all over again, but I just…” he trails off, sighing as his eyebrows knit together. He shakes his head and looks back up to her, “I just want it to be how it was.”

Regina sniffles, swiping the wetness from under her eyes once more. She will never not be emotional when David opens up to her, when he struggles with the battle raging in his mind. She  _ knows _ he wants to remember everything, and he is, just slowly, much slower than either one of them would like. Ducking her head down slightly to look deeply into his wet eyes so that he knows she means what she says, Regina tells him sincerely, lowly, “Your children love you, David.” Tears falling again, she emphasizes, “ _ I _ love you.” She cups his cheek, her thumb caressing the apple of his cheek before she runs her hand down to rest on his neck as she promises, “We’re not going anywhere. I made a vow to you - in sickness and in health, for better or worse. And I  _ meant _ it.”

Tears fall from David’s eyes, and he looks down, taking a steadying breath once more as she tilts his face back up to look at her again and she finishes with, “I love you, and you may not feel the same for me yet but I  _ do, _ and I’m not going anywhere. We will get through this together.” 

Her tears fall as steadily as his now as David leans up, joining their lips together. One hand still resting on her thigh, his other comes up to hold her belly. Giving it a soft rub, he pulls apart from their embrace, staring into her eyes. Their son chooses that moment to give a little kick, breaking some of the tension apart as David looks down to her stomach and lets out a soft, wet chuckle, patting it once more.

He smiles up at her, nodding and thanking her for sticking by him, for loving him. “You are an amazing woman, Regina, and I’ll never know how I got so lucky.”

Regina smiles tearfully, shaking her head and assuring him that, “I’m the lucky one, not you.”

She leans down, capturing his lips with hers once more before untangling their legs and slowly standing from the chair. Regina reaches out for his hand, helping him from his sitting position, telling him he better finish getting dressed before both kids get too hungry and start complaining.

Chuckling, David agrees. He walks over to his dresser to pull out a pair of dark colored jeans to replace the gray sweatpants he’d slept in. Once dressed, he gives Regina one last kiss, smirking and telling her, “Don’t forget to decorate for the party, pregnant lady.”

Mouth falling open, she scoffs in mock offense. “Oh,” she snorts, “That’s how it’s going to be?”

Grinning, he just shrugs, swinging their bedroom door open. She yells down the hall for him not to forget her apple cinnamon muffin from Granny’s and he just laughs, calling back that he’s not the one with pregnancy brain.

Shaking her head but with a smile on her face, she follows him down the stairs to kiss her children goodbye. Once the rest of the family have made their way to Granny’s, she turns around with her hands on her hips, sighing as she looks at the undecorated house that needs a serious makeover before they can host a mermaid themed party in a few hours. 

She hadn’t used much magic lately - it tires her out much quicker these days - but thanks to the not-picked-up decorations (and the fact that Ashley’s was closed on Sundays anyway), she feels as if a morning of magic is in store for her.

{*************************}

Munching on his French toast sticks, David watches his children talking and giggling at something on Henry’s phone. He smiles, loving how close the two of them are despite the age difference. 

Olivia looks up, covering her mouth to quell her laughter, and makes eye contact with David. She smiles sweetly, tilting her head and asking, “Can I have a bite?” as she innocently eyes his plate of the sugary sticks.

He sniggers, saying  _ Of course  _ as he cuts a piece and hands it to her across the table. She beams, taking the offered bite and dunking it into the syrup on his plate.  _ Mmmmm  _ is the response he gets, and he smiles, asking if she thinks it’s good. 

Nodding, she swallows and exclaims, “Yep! Sure is, Daddy!"

He informs them they both need to eat some more before they head back home, noticing neither one has eaten much. 

“Okay,” Henry says distractedly, “Just… let me… there!” he cries out, locking his phone and setting it down. The teenager smiles, saying he had one more level of his game to finish. 

David chuckles, shaking his head. Some things never change. Henry has always loved video games, and he can remember a time, right before Snow and Emma got sucked through the hat, that he would spend hours with his grandson playing games together at the loft. 

Both children settle in after Olivia gives her brother a high five in congratulations, enjoying their breakfasts. It’s pancakes and bacon for Henry and oatmeal and a biscuit for Olivia. He reminds them that they’ll have lunch, snacks and cake at the party later so, “Don’t make yourselves sick with breakfast.” 

Henry grins, looking over to David. He gives the teen a questioning look and the boy just shrugs, chuckling as he says, “You sound like Mom.”

David smiles, telling him that isn’t a bad thing, and they all share a smile before digging back in to their food. 

After a few moments of eating, David pushes his plate away, swallowing the last bite of his french toast. Picking up the mug of coffee Ruby had just come by to refill, he listens as Olivia chatters on in between bites about which of her friends from school are coming over today, who she’s most excited to see, her surprise cake, and what she hopes she gets at the party. 

She states decisively that she wants a new bicycle, which Henry reminds her she got at Christmas, some books, a new Barbie and, of course, “A pony!” 

Henry rolls his eyes, taking his final bite of bacon. “You’re not getting a  _ pony _ , Livvie,” he tells her around his mouthful of food. 

She huffs, sitting back in the booth and crossing her arms. “I know,” she drawls dramatically, “But it’d still be awesome if I did!” 

They all laugh, going on to talk about her friends that are coming and what they’re all going to do. 

Finished with her breakfast, Olivia slinks from her side of the booth to David’s, settling into his side. He smiles down at her, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of her head. He loves his little girl, and can’t imagine life without her now. Regina was right this morning when she said their daughter is a daddy’s girl, and his heart swells every time he thinks about how close he and Olivia are. He hopes that never changes.

Henry slides her the paper kids menu from his side of the table, and she takes it, picking up a crayon and asking David to complete the tic-tac-toe game printed on the paper with her. 

As they play, Olivia winning one round and David the other, Henry tells him about the book he’s been working on the last few weeks. He had started it the horrible day at the park the other week when David had been a complete ass, but he’s seen Henry work on it every few nights before bed. 

“I really like it so far,” he announces his stepdad excitedly. “There’s still some spots I need to work on, and I gotta figure out how to wrap it all up in the end.” 

“Well I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” David encourages. “You’re a fantastic writer.” 

Henry beams, taking a sip from his water. He sets the glass down and begins telling David how Grace has been helping him, giving him ideas for some of the smaller characters - possibly giving his main character a friend who also believes in magic so he’s not quite so alone, or, “I don’t know,” he shrugs, “Grace was also giving me ideas for magical people that my main character, who still needs a name -” he chuckles to himself, shaking his head, “- meets along the way... different witches or... something.” David watches, and listens, with fascination, a warm feeling in his stomach observing how mature his grandson is these days - how much and how well he’s grown up lately; he’s so proud of him. Henry sighs, shrugging once more, saying he hasn’t hashed all those details out but his girlfriend has been pretty inspirational when it came to some of the smaller details.

“That’s cause she  _ loooves  _ you,” Olivia giggles from her spot beside David. She’s been quietly coloring while the boys talked, but clearly she was intently listening too. 

Henry rolls his eyes with a smile on his face, shaking his head at his little sister. “Anyway,” he says, sighing, “Hopefully I’ll have it done within the next few weeks.” He tells David how he started writing it just for fun, but Regina had reminded him of a writing competition at school, and he thought it might be fun to enter it since it’s his last year there, but he wasn’t sure if it’d be done in time.

David nods, assuring Henry that he’s positive he will get it completed. Henry’s always been such a diligent worker, like a dog on the hunt for something delicious it smells, so he has no doubt his stepson will get it done in the time limit he’s given himself. He encourages the teen, though, telling him that even if he doesn’t finish by time he wants to, it will get done and it will be fantastic - competition for school or not.

“Here we go!” Granny cheers, interrupting their conversation as she sets a giant milkshake down in front of Olivia (whose eyes widen, almost crossing over each other, bigger than David has ever seen). 

He laughs, wrapping an arm around his little girl as she sits up straighter, exclaiming, “Thank you, Granny!” 

The old wolf smiles down at the family, telling her it's a birthday cake flavored milkshake. “It’s a new recipe I’ve been trying out. Figured I’d mix it up this year instead of giving you kids the regular chocolate one for your birthday.” 

Henry perks up, promising to Granny that they love her chocolate but, “This looks delicious, too!” 

Nodding her head once in acknowledgement, she reaches into her apron and pulls out three straws. Holding them out, they each take one, a resounding  _ Thanks _ coming from all of their mouths. 

She sets three spoons down,  _ Just in case it’s too thick for the straws _ , and smiles one more time at Olivia. Bending down, Granny presses a kiss to the girls cheek, whispering, “Happy birthday, sweet girl!” into the top of her head, telling her she’ll see her later at the party. Granny winks, nudging her nose against Olivia’s cheek before pressing another quick peck there. 

Olivia gives her a sweet smile, leaning over and stretching out her arms to give to old woman a giant hug. “Thank you!” she tells her one more time before Granny rights herself and makes her way over to the other customers. 

Giggling, they all unwrap their straws and dive in. A collective  _ Mmmm  _ comes from all three of them and David laughs. “So you guys like it?” 

“It’s  _ so _ good!” Olivia shouts softly for just the boys to hear. She pulls her straw from the glass, sucking hard on it until there’s a distinct  _ pop _ sound that comes from it. 

She snorts, telling them there was a sprinkle stuck in her straw. They all laugh, passing the milkshake around to let everyone have a few more bites. 

“Definitely don’t tell Mom about this,” Henry laughs. “She’ll never let us have cake later!” It’s a funny reminder they have to give Olivia each year, according to Henry, because ever since the first milkshake a few years ago, they’ve kept it a secret from their mom.

David’s hit with a memory then, his eyes snapping shut as the vision plays before his closed lids.

_ Sitting back in the booth, he rubs his full stomach, watching his kids enjoy the chocolate milkshake Granny had just delivered for Henry’s birthday. _

_ “Don’t tell your mom I let you have a milkshake,” he chuckles, watching as Henry and Olivia lock eyes mischievously, tiny smirks forming on their lips. _

_ They all giggle, digging back in to the sweet treat. David laughs, picking up a straw and placing it in the glass as well. “A few bites won’t hurt,” he mumbles. “Just don’t eat as much cake later today.” _

_ Henry just grins, giving David a quick eye roll as if to say, “Yeah, right,” and all David can do is laugh. _

_ Olivia climbs into his lap, leaning over to get a better reach of the milkshake. He smiles, leaning down to kiss the back of her head, and wishing she would stop growing. She’s three now, so tiny and cute (yet sneaky as all get out, clearly a trait delivered from her mother), and he can’t imagine her getting any bigger. It’s bad enough that Henry is thirteen today - David isn’t sure where the time has gone. It seems like just yesterday he was ten and helping break the Dark Curse.  _

_ “This is so good!” Henry exclaims excitedly, pulling the dessert closer to his side of the booth and taking a giant gulp.  _

_ Olivia puffs out dejectedly, folding her arms on top of the table and placing her chin there as she watches Henry take large sips. She tilts her body, twisting to look at David behind her sadly as she murmurs that she wants another sip.  _

_ Pursing his lips to stop his chuckle from escaping, he reminds the little girl that it’s her brother’s birthday, and he should get the bigger sips. “I hope I get a milkshake for my birthday,” she sighs wistfully.  _

_ David catches Granny’s eye as she walks passed, her wolf hearing still as sharp as ever and gives him a quick nod, confirming that his daughter would definitely be getting a milkshake in a few weeks for her special day as well. He smiles at the old wolf, shaking his head to himself at how tough she tries to act but how soft she is when it comes to the children of their little town. _

_ Henry looks over, sheepishly ducking his head. He slides the cup more toward the middle of the table and apologizes. “I’ve never had a milkshake at breakfast before!” _

_ David chuckles, reaching over to ruffle his stepson’s hair and assuring him he can drink as much as he wants. “It’s our little secret though, remember,” he whispers dramatically, giving Henry a wink. _

_ Olivia giggles as she slides from David’s lap, promising not to tell Regina their little secret as well. _

_ He and Henry watch Olivia closely when they first get home, making sure she doesn’t spill the beans. She almost does as she enthusiastically recounts to Regina about all the, “Yummy food we ate. And Granny even brought us -” _

_ Before she can finish, Henry clasps a hand over her mouth, making her go quiet. Regina looks up from where she’s been working on some party favors just as Henry’s hand falls from his sister’s face.  _

_ Giving them a questioning look, Henry finishes Olivia’s sentence with, “Uh, an extra pancake for me for my birthday.” _

_ David bites his lip in an attempt to tamp down his laughter at how comically wide his children’s eyes are. Regina looks over her shoulder at him with narrowed eyes, and he just shakes his head, holding his hands up in surrender as if to say, “I don’t know.” _

_ Looking back at the children, Regina lifts an eyebrow and lets out a drawn out, “Alright…” before telling them that an extra pancake is exciting. _

_ “As long as you don’t get sick later from all the food at the party,” she grins. _

_ Henry chuckles. He places a hand on Olivia’s shoulder, guiding her out of the kitchen as he nervously laughs out a, “Ha, yeah, Mom. I… I won’t.” _

_ David can practically see the nervous sweat falling from the boy’s brow and chuckles under his breath from where he’s perched against the kitchen counter, behind Regina’s workstation on the island so she can’t see him. He lifts a hand, motioning for Henry and Olivia to leave the room, and they scamper off, their laughter filling the hallway. _

_ “What was that about?” she laughs, turning to face him. Her hair is mussed from where she’d clearly run her fingers through it while finishing the gifts she’s making, and he smiles softly, reaching up to smooth the lock of hair down. _

_ “Nothing,” he murmurs, leaning in to kiss her lips. He knows he’ll end up telling her tonight before bed about the milkshake and how it could be a cute tradition to add to their birthday breakfasts, but he’ll let the kids sweat it out a little bit longer - might even never tell them he told their mother, just to add some excitement to their annual birthday milkshakes. He chuckles, kissing her once more before pulling back and looking over the goodie bags she’s gathered on the counter.  _

_ She smiles brightly at him, saying she thinks his friends will really like the treats inside. Putting the last ribbon on a bag, she turns and says she’s got all the decorations and food set up. “There’s a lot of food though - more than I originally thought I had.” She bites her lips, shrugging, “We will just have to tell them not to run around too much after eating so no one gets sick.” _

_ David leans in with a smile, placing another kiss to her lips and assuring his wife that none of them would get sick - they’re kids, they can rebound from too much food a lot quicker than they can. “Now,” he says loudly, getting the attention of the kids in the next room, “Who wants to see mom’s cake!?” _

Olivia’s eyes widen comically as she sits back, wiping the milkshake from her lips. She looks over to David and smiles, bringing a finger up to her lips in a silencing motion, then whispers, “It’ll be our secret!”

He smiles widely, now remembering that he did, in fact, tell Regina their little secret that night so many years ago. She’d just rolled her eyes and laughed, saying it was once a year, and that she could let it slide. 

Henry snorts at her antics, saying he doesn’t think Mom will mind so much since they share one every year for their birthdays - clearly he’s been let into the secret that Regina actually has knowledge of these “top secret milkshakes.” The teenager gives David a wink from across the table, and they share a knowing smile. 

Wrapping an arm around Olivia, she cuddles into David’s side, and he thinks how this is a tradition he hopes they never let die. 

{*************************}

Laughing as she enters the kitchen, dodging one of the twins dressed like a pirate as he chases the birthday mermaid around, Snow exclaims a cheerful, “Everything look amazing, Regina!” 

Emma, Mulan and Regina are all gathered around the kitchen island, sipping on “mermaid juice” - just a combination of blue Hawaiian punch, Sprite and pineapple juice - but it went with Olivia’s desired party theme, and was, surprisingly, delicious. 

Regina huffs out, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling, muttering a half-hearted  _ Thanks. _

Snow’s eyebrows scrunch, asking her what is the matter.

Shaking her head, she looks around the island as Snow comes to rest on the neighboring bar stool. “Nothing,” she sighs, rubbing her aching back. She situates herself more comfortably on the wooden stool as she tells her friends, “This morning was just chaotic.” She goes on, informing them of the heartbreak her daughter experienced this morning along with all the magic she’d had to use to get the house in order.

_ Once the front door closed, Regina quickly twirled around, looking at her empty living room. With a sigh, she rubbed her hands together, muttering an, “Alright, let’s do this,” to herself. _

_ She walked into the living room, knowing most of the party would take place in there. With a flick of her wrist, she stretched out her hand toward the couch, making it magically move back against the wall and front window, giving the room a larger space for the children to run around in. With her other hand, she pointed her finger in the direction of the side wall, making a table appear in a puff of lilac smoke.  _

_ Twirling her hand in a circular motion, she made the party supplies from Ashley’s store appear in the middle of the open room on the coffee table (so she didn’t have to bend down to get everything.) _

_ With a smile on her face, she walked toward the party table with a teal table cloth. Once the table was covered, she twitched her head to the side. A shimmery teal and purple backdrop vaporized onto the wall behind the table. It was covered with white, teal and purple plates in a pattern that looked like mermaid scales. It was a decoration she’d seen on Pinterest a few weeks ago and thought was so creative. She tacked a giant starfish to the mermaid scale on the wall before turning her attention back to the table. It was long enough to hold all of the party food and the beverage dispenser of Mermaid Juice Olivia had insisted they have.  _

_ She waved her hand, making seashell shaped serving dishes appear on the table, conveniently piled with all the party food - a vegetable platter with a bell pepper formed into the shape of an octopus, rice krispy treats in the shape of starfish, ham and cheese sandwiches on little croissants that had googly eyed toothpicks sticking out of them to look like crabs, green grape kabobs affectionately labeled as seaweed, and an assortment of other ocean themed foods, all with mermaid shaped signs in front of the detailing what each item was. Regina looked around at all of it, nodding in approval at what she’d conjured. She was always a sucker for a good theme, and she had to admit, she loved this year’s theme a lot. It was sweet and fun to create different things for.  _

_ In between each platter of food, she was sure to place seashells and starfish, and of course a net draped over the front of the table for effect.  _

_ She turned from the main wall with all the food and flicked her hands up toward the ceiling, making balloons form in bundles in each corner of the ceiling (mermaid colors, as Olivia always called them - teal, purple, and white). Regina smiled, having far too much fun with this, and turned, flicking her finger tips toward the fireplace so a large “Happy 7th Birthday, Olivia!” sign hung from it - each letter being inside a scalloped shaped shell and a little silhouette of a mermaid holding the banner on each side. _

_ Once that was finished, Regina made her way to the kitchen to begin the cake. It was the one thing she refused to use her magic on. Making her children’s birthday cakes was her favorite tradition. She always loved creating a cake to go along with their theme, and more than anything, she loved to see Henry and Olivia’s excited faces when the cake was revealed to them right before their friends showed up for their parties. She was a great baker, a secret talent only her closest friends and families knew about, and being able to wow even them with her confectious creations always made her beam with pride. _

_ She pulled out all the ingredients, then remembered she needed to get the backyard ready for the kids as well. Looking out the window above the sink and into the spacious yard, she took a deep breath. This one would take a lot of magic if she wanted to do it all in one casting.  _

_ With her eyes closed, she raised both hands, her lilac magic flowing from both palms as she waved it around the direction of her backyard. Little tables, covered in the rest of the table cloths that were still in the living room and little seashells appeared on the grass, along with a sheer tent, made to look like a giant fish net, with mermaid colored balloons hanging from it.  _

_ She opened her eyes, sighing out and rubbing her belly. She was getting tired from using all this magic, but she had to get it done - maybe she’d squeeze in a nap before the party today. She blinked, flicking her wrist one more time to ensure the pin the tail on the mermaid game was set up and ready to go back there as well. _

_ She decided to take a break from all the magic, telling herself to make the party favors (mermaid blankets and bubble bath) later for all the kids. For now, she would make the cake and make sure The Little Mermaid was set up in the DVD player, ready to be played all day long.  _

“Suffice to say,” Regina snickers, motioning around the air at all the mermaid decor, “It took me a while.”

The other women laugh as Mulan promises her that everything looks amazing. “You always do such a good job with their parties, and this is no exception.”

Regina smiles, thanking her friends. She laughs again, more to herself that anything, and runs her hands through her hair. “At least my pregnant brain didn’t forget the presents! Those have been stashed in the closet upstairs for months.” 

They all chuckle, taking sips of their juice and agreeing that would’ve been terrible if she’d forgotten those. Regina stops laughing for a moment, twisting her lips as she’s overcome with emotion.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asks, reaching across the island to take Regina’s hand in hers. She gives the blonde’s hand a thankful squeeze, giving her a small smile. 

Reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, she then places both hands on her belly, rubbing soft patterns there as she looks around at the three women. Shaking her head as she tries to hold back her tears, she bemoans to them remorsefully, “I should have remembered to tell David about her birthday.” Blowing out a breath, knowing there’s nothing anyone can say to make her feel better, she goes on, telling them all how hard it’s been for everyone in the house.

She looks over her shoulder, making sure no one else is coming to interrupt their little powwow. She knows Granny and Ruby are in the living room, along with some other parents of Olivia’s classmates, and she would hate for any of them to overhear what’s going on in her life. She likes to keep things private as much as possible. She can hear kids giggling all throughout the front of the house, saw Olivia wizz by moments ago, rushing outside with some friends to play pin the tail on the mermaid. David and Chang are outside manning the mermaid game, making sure none of the kids get hurt, and she breathes out a quiet laugh through her nose as she turns back to her friends, catching a glimpse of David through the window, dodging out of the way of a blindfolded kid trying to find the mermaid to place his tail upon. 

Regina tells them more about the drama this morning - how upset Olivia was, how heartbroken she’d seemed, and then of how upset David had been, which had upset her as well. “It’s not just today either,” she admits quietly. “David has his memories back of Olivia, you guys know that already,” and they all nod, encouraging her to go on, “But he still struggles to remember little details… and me, of course.”

Mulan moves from her side of the island, coming to stand beside Regina and place a comforting hand on her back, rubbing circles between her shoulder blades. She reaches up, placing her hand atop Mulan’s other one that rests on the counter top and gives her a smile. She’s so thankful for the friends she’s made over the last few years, glad that they’ve all become one, giant family. Something she never thought she’d have, or want. 

“Don’t give up, Regina,” Snow says from beside her, reaching over to take hold of her other hand. “His memories  _ will _ come back.”

Emma perks up then, knowing Regina had talked to her weeks ago after a meeting with Dr. Whale. She’d told Emma how Whale informed them that his memories might not ever come back, how that was a risk with amnesia, and she’d cried on the front porch with the blonde woman, both of them sad over the loss of his memories. But Emma had been hopeful, of course (she is a Charming down to her core after all), telling her that they couldn’t lose hope. “And even if they don’t,” Emma claims with a pointed look at Regina, “You guys will be okay.”

She nods, sniffling back the tears that are threatening to fall. Smiling shyly, she tells the other women how David had admitted to beginning to fall for her a few weeks ago.

With squeals from Mulan and Snow, and a delighted hum of approval and a  _ See! _ from Emma, Regina rolls her eyes, genuinely smiling at her friends and agreeing that it was indeed wonderful progress. 

Starting to feel uncomfortable with all the attention (and emotion running through her), Regina changes the subject, lifting her plastic cup and pointing it in Emma’s direction. “Anyway,” she breathes, planting a smile on her face, “You’ll be having to think of birthday themes for that little one sooner than you think.”

Snow and Mulan chuckle, murmuring their agreement as Snow informs her daughter that the first year will fly by faster than she wants. 

Emma grins, reaching up to pat her still flat stomach. She’d found out just before David’s accident that she was pregnant - a joyous occasion for everyone in the family. Emma and Chang had gone through the devastating loss of a pregnancy when Olivia was three and the twins were almost two, and they’d struggled to get pregnant ever since. After visiting a specialist outside of Storybrooke for several months, she was finally able to conceive. She’d told them all over a giant family dinner, David and Snow immediately tearing up at the news, while the rest of the family smiled happily and gave the couple their congratulations. 

Henry had been most excited, saying he loved having all the kids around and now  _ both _ his moms would have little kids for him to play with. 

The excitement, however, had worn off a few days later when the phone call had come about David’s accident. Since then, Regina has tried to be a good friend, asking Emma about her pregnancy and giving her advice or tips when asked because she doesn’t want Emma to feel like no one cares or like they’re putting David as a priority (not that Emma wouldn’t understand if they  _ were _ ).

“I can’t wait,” Emma laughs, straightening her shirt and tugging it against her skin for effect. “I can actually see my stomach bulging out a little bit today.”

They all smile over at her, Regina nodding and telling her that’s when she always felt like things were real. Once you could  _ see _ the bump, you suddenly feel like you have to get everything in order. “Have you guys picked out names yet?” Mulan asks, making her way back to her spot beside Emma. 

The blonde shakes her head, opening her mouth to speak, “Not ye--”

“MAMA!” Olivia exclaims, running in the back door.

All four women jump at the unexpected intrusion, laughing as the little girl bounces over to her mother, the twins and Ruby’s daughter, Luna, following behind. Regina grins at Eric and Eli all dressed up in their pirate costumes. They’d shown up to the party like that, Snow clapping her hands together in excitement at how cute they were dressed for the theme. Mulan had just shaken her head, saying Snow hadn’t been able to stop gushing over how fun it was the whole ride over to the mansion. 

Olivia is standing before her, hand on her hips as her tiny foot taps on the wooden floor beneath her. She’s dressed as a mermaid, rightfully so, with an aqua colored skirt in the shape of a mermaid tail over some thin leggings and a purple top. She has a plastic crown on her head, somehow, Regina assumes from her chest of costumes up in her bedroom that she’d clearly gone and dug through at some point this afternoon. 

“Can I help you, Princess?” Regina sasses playfully, looking down at the birthday girl.

Liv giggles, scrunching her nose as she climbs into Regina’s lap. It’s awkward, and she barely fits since Regina is precariously perched on nothing but a bar stool, but they make it work for a few moments. Olivia kisses her cheek, making her smile softly at her daughter. 

Running her finger tips through the girl’s long, dark hair, she gets out a few knots, and makes a comment about how sweaty she is. Looking over at the twins (Luna has long since abandoned the apparently boring kitchen for the living room), she notices they’re just as sweaty. She declares it’s time to stay inside and cool down so they can do presents and cake. 

“Yes! Cake!” Olivia shouts, hopping down from Regina’s lap. “Have you seen my cake yet, Aunt Snow?!”

Snow grins, shaking her head and telling the little girl that no, she hasn’t seen it yet. 

Olivia’s blue eyes light up, rambling excitedly to all the women in the kitchen about how pretty it is. 

She had been so excited after Granny’s when Regina showed it to her that she’s surprised the little girl has found anything else to talk about today.

_ They’d gotten home from Granny’s a few minutes ago, and Olivia had immediately started running around the living room in excitement, yelling “Daddy! LOOK!” at every new mermaid decoration she found.  _

_ Chuckling, Regina asked, “Do you like it?” _

_ Spinning on her heel, Olivia raced over the Regina chanting an out of breath, “I love it, I love it, I lovelovelovelove it!” _

_ Shaking her heard, Regina laughed at the little girl’s antics and smiled proudly when David and Henry both complimented her work. “It looks amazing, Mom. I love all the seashells and fish nets.” _

_ “Thank you, sweetheart,” she told him and placed a kiss to his cheek. “Now who’s ready to see the cake?” _

_ With an overly excited YEAH!, Olivia ran to the kitchen with Henry, and Regina could hear them making bets on what the cake would be shaped like this year as they disappeared. _

_ “You’re amazing,” David told her sincerely, walking over to her and placing a kiss to her lips.  _

_ Smiling up at him, she kissed him in return, thanking him and saying she had to use a lot of magic, but it was worth it.  _

_ “Just promise if you get me pregnant again, I’m not due near the other birthdays,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “I’d like a few months of peace between at least two of the parties.” _

_ He laughed, nodding as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Drawing her closer, he pressed his lips to the top of her head and whispered, “I’ll try my best,” before placing a kiss to her hair. _

_ It’d been a running joke between them that his little swimmers worked extra hard in the winter, seeing as both Olivia and the new baby would both have birthdays within a month, give or take a few weeks, of each other (Not to mention Henry’s birthday being in August; it would be party central at the Mills-Nolan household for three months straight. Not that Henry had requested an elaborate party for the last few years - as a teenager, his parties only consisted of his friends coming over, hanging out and eating food and cake.) _

_ With a nod of her own, she giggled, “Now come on,” and pulled on his hand, leading him toward the kitchen. “Let’s go reveal the cake to her before she combusts.” _

_ They walked into the kitchen just as Henry and Olivia were settling on the barstools. Olivia was bouncing on her knees, singing a song about birthday cakes that she’d clearly just made up. David came and stood beside her, placing a kiss to their daughter’s head and making sure she didn’t fall from the stool in all her frenzy of emotion. _

_ “Are you ready?” Regina asked, smiling widely and walking over toward the refrigerator.  _

_ Everyone nodded as Olivia proclaimed a hearty, “Yes, yesyesyes, YES!” making them all laugh. _

_ Regina pulled the cake from it’s designated spot on the refrigerator shelf, shielding it from their eyes for just a little bit longer. She told them to close their eyes, and she peeked over her shoulder, confirming that they were all following her direction.  _

_ Placing the creation on her island counter and turning it to face her family, she nodded once in confirmation to herself that she’d done a good job. No matter what anyone else thought, she loved this cake and thought she’d truly outdone herself. “Okay, you can open.” _

_ Olivia’s eyes blinked open, mouth falling agape as she stared at the cake before her. The cake was in the shape of a giant mermaid tail. It was teal at the top, then in an ombre type coloring, faded down into a dark purple. After the dark purple, it turned into a fuschia color near the fins. The scales were outlined in the teal icing, and the whole cake had a shimmer to it. All around the cake itself, on the white cardboard it sat upon, Regina had whipped up an ocean blue colored icing and drawn waves, then drew tiny starfish, seaweed and a little yellow fish with icing as well. “It’s so pretty!” Olivia gushed, placing her hands on the counter top and pushing herself up to get a better look.  _

_ David placed his hands on her hips, holding her steady so she didn’t face plant into the cake. “Woah!” Henry exclaimed, “That’s awesome!” _

_ Regina smiled at her family, glad to see they were as proud of it as she was.  _

“It’s in the living room with all the other food,” Olivia tells Snow. “Come on! Let’s go look at it!”

Regina chuckles, standing from the stool and taking Olivia’s hand in hers, telling her to slow down. She informs the girl that it’s time for presents anyway, so Aunt Snow will see it when they go in there. 

“Okay!” Olivia says happily, shrugging her shoulders. She let’s go of Regina’s hand, going to take a hand of each twin and lead them into the living room, telling them it was time for presents and then they could eat cake. 

Emma hollers out the back door to David and Chang to come inside, and they all make their way to the rest of the party. 

Coming into the living room, Regina announces to the other guests that it’s time for presents. Everyone gathers around, watching as Olivia perches herself into a mermaid tail shaped plastic chair. Henry brings her presents over and the little girl chatters on, telling anyone who will listen that they need to look at her cake if they haven’t already. “My mommy made it and it’s sooooo pretty!”

Snow comes to stand beside Regina, watching as David crouches down beside his daughter, listening as she reads the first name tag of the present she wants to open first. “Well she seems fine to me now,” Snow whispers. Regina looks over, giving her a smile. “She looks like she doesn’t even remember what happened this morning.”

Regina nods solemnly, “But I remember.”

Snow sighs, rubbing her former stepmother’s back. “I know it’s hard, Regina, but like I always say, you just have to have hope.” She smiles over at Snow, trying her hardest not to roll her eyes, and turns her head back to Olivia, smiling as she pulls out a giant mermaid Barbie that sings when she gets wet. It was from Granny, and Olivia runs over, hugging the old woman, before going back to her chair to open the next one. “Things  _ will _ get better, whether David remembers everything or not. You guys are working so hard and making so much progress; you’ll get there. And Olivia is young, she’s resilient, and she loves the both of you so much. She’s clearly already forgiven what happened; you need to forgive  _ yourself _ .”

Nodding, Regina agrees with a sigh. Snow is right, no matter how much Regina wants to stew in her frustration. Things aren’t perfect, and she knows she messed up this morning, but she’s going to work harder to make things easier for David. She’ll make check lists and write every thought that comes to her down on a sticky note if that’s what it’ll take to not forget anything, but she won’t ever let her husband or daughter feel like they did earlier today. 

She can beat herself up for it later, but for now she’s going to put a smile on her face, join her husband on the couch (because her back is killing her and she likes to warmth he’ll provide when he undoubtedly places his hand on her back) and enjoy their daughter’s birthday. 

{*************************}

That night, after all the guests had gone home, and Regina had used her magic to clean up everything from the party, David makes his way into their bedroom. 

The kids were asleep, kisses and cuddles had already been given before he and Regina had gone downstairs to finish cleaning up. Now, though, he’s exhausted, and wants nothing more than to snuggle up to his wife in bed and maybe sleep in a little bit in the morning. He knows she’s bound to be just as tired, between all her magic use which tires her out and the party itself, it’s been a busy day for her.

“Regina?” he asks, closing the bedroom door. Looking around, he doesn’t see her, but his ears quickly pick up the sound of the shower running. 

Walking in, the steam hits him in the face as he calls her name again. 

“Yeah,” he hears her say. He stops in his tracks, knowing the tell tale sign of tears in her voice.

“Can I get in with you?” he asks, taking his phone out of his pocket and placing it on the counter. 

She gives him another, soft, “Yeah,” and he strips down, setting his clothes on the bathroom counter while asking her if she’s alright. She sniffles, clearing her throat before giving him a weak, “Yeah.”

David gently pulls back the curtain, stepping inside and sighing as the heat hits his face. His shoulders sag when he opens his eyes and sees Regina on the other side of the large shower, arms folded and resting against the wall as her head leans against her folded arms.

“Are you sure you’re okay, babe?”

She sighs, telling him she’s fine; she’s just letting the hot water hit her back. “It’s been hurting all day.”

Knowing that’s just partially the reason for her posture, he kneels down, ducking under her folded arms, thankful for their oversized shower. She chuckles wetly when her brown eyes open and spot him kneeled on the floor underneath her.

She stands up straighter, allowing him room to stand. His back is against the tile wall, and he grabs her hips, pulling her closer to him so the water isn’t raining down onto her head but able to soothe her sore back again.

“What’s the matter?” he asks, giving her a pointed look before placing a kiss to the top of her head. 

Regina bites her lip, eyes welling up with tears that she tries to blink away. She places her head on his chest, inhaling deeply. As she exhales, she leans back up, gazing into his eyes. She looks so sad, and his heart breaks, only wanting to make her feel better. He rubs circles on her hips, worried that it’s something with the baby making her cry. 

“It’s…” she trails off, sighing. She pushes her wet hair out of her face, then looping her arms around his neck. “It’s this damn brain of mine.”

He chuckles lightly, quipping that he’s the one with the brain injury, not her.

She rolls her eyes, trying to bite back a smirk at his lame attempt at a joke. “It’s not funny, David,” she laments through a sigh. “I should’ve told you about Olivia’s birthday... I should have  _ remembered _ her birthday.”

“Hey,” David soothes, ducking his head down to catch her eye with his. She’d felt so guilty this morning, and they’d already talked about everything. The rest of the day had been fine, and he hates to think that all during the party while he was entertaining children at the mermaid game that she was still mentally beating herself. “We talked about that this morning already.” He places a peck to her lips, tucking his finger under her chin to make sure he has her full attention.

“Would it have been nice to know about? Yes,” he declares, shaking his head, “but it all worked out in the end, and she had a great day. We all did." 

Tears spill out of her eyes then, and she brings a hand up to her mouth, trying to extinguish the sob that clearly wants to escape. “The look on her face this morning  _ killed _ me, David.” She tells him she never wants her children to feel neglected, and Olivia had looked so forgotten.

She lets her sob out finally, leaning her head against his chest. Her fingers are running through the hair at the base of his neck, and he reaches up, bringing one hand down to kiss her palm. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he soothes, “Calm down.”

He rubs her stomach, hoping their baby boy will send another jolt of his calming magic to his mother in this moment. Regina takes a few deep breaths, calming herself before she tells him that’s how she felt growing up. “What do you mean?”

He reaches to the side of her, picking up the body wash he knows she likes so much off the shelf. He shakes the bottle, silently asking if she wants some. She nods, and he pours a bit into his hands, lathering it up and rubbing her arms up and down. He moves to her chest and stomach, making her mumble about her oversized breasts. He chuckles, saying he doesn’t remember them ever being smaller so he likes them just fine, to which she just rolls her eyes, sighing as she relaxes under his touch. She pours some body wash into her own hands, rubbing them together before placing them on his chest. He shivers at the contact, smiling down at her as she begins to wash his arms, giving his biceps a gentle squeeze. She seems a million miles away as she works, completely lost in her thoughts, so he leans in, pressing his lips to her cheek to bring her back to reality. He reiterates his question softly, and Regina smiles sheepishly, biting on her bottom lip and moving her hands back to his chest as she lets out a hearty sigh.

He washes the skin of her stomach as well, smiling as he feels the baby kicking, and when he finishes, she takes a step back and he comes forward, letting the water wash away the suds on their bodies as she finally admits to him, “My mother never wanted me around her unless it was to make a good impression on someone important… to make it seem like she had the perfect little family.” 

She steps forward, moving them out from under the water once all the body wash is gone from their skin, and she moves into his arms again. He smiles softly down at her, kissing the top of her head. Regina leans back just enough to make eye contact with him. “Other than those moments, I was left alone - no one cared where I was, as long as I was inside the estate. I just always felt… forgotten, neglected.” Her brows furrow as she shakes her head and looks down - she looks so broken and it pains him. “I want to work hard to make sure my kids never feel like that.” 

“And you do. Our kids could never feel neglected by you,” he vows, tilting her head to look at him. He shakes his head, overcome with his own emotion as he sees hers swirling in the depths of her eyes. “Regina… I love you, and I think you’re the most amazing mother on the planet.” He breathes out, placing his lips to her forehead and breathing in. Pulling back her says, “I could tell from the moment Olivia walked into my hospital room all those weeks ago - the way she climbed in your lap and you stroked her hair so gently.” He smiles at the memory now, now that he’s over the shock he felt all those months ago. “I knew, despite how scared I was, that you were a phenomenal mother.”

Regina gasps, eye wide. She’s breathing heavily as she stutters out, “Y-you love me?” Tears fill her eyes and spill over, and he looks confused, replaying the words he’s just spoken. Realizing his heart had spoken for him, his eyes brim with tears as well. 

He sniffles out a quick laugh and nods. “My heart and head are so confused, you know that,” he says, and she silently agrees. “But my heart is winning. I told you the other week I was falling for you. Regina, I’m not just falling,” he shakes his head, looking deep into her eyes, the water behind them having run cold but completely unimportant to either of them in this moment. “I’ve  _ fallen _ . I do love you, Regina.”

Her mouth opens, words about to come out when David swoops in, capturing her lips in a passionate embrace. His lips move against her plump ones as his hands find purchase on her hips once more. He rubs circles there, moving one hand back to cup her rear. Regina moans into the kiss, tongue peeking out to enter into his. He grants the access, obviously, groaning when their tongues finally meet. It’s different, this kiss. There’s more behind it. 

He’s known for weeks that he was falling for her, how could he not? And he’s not sure when his heart went from just falling to being completely in love with her, but he is. He loves Regina more than he ever thought possible, and though his old feelings haven’t returned, there’s still so many,  _ many _ memories of her missing, he now knows that whether he gets them back or not, this is who he’s meant to be with. He could kick himself for the jealousy he felt toward Snow and Mulan the other week, realizing now how ridiculous it was, and glad Regina (and Archie) had made him apologize to his ex-wife last week. He now knows what it feels like to be completely in love with someone other that Snow White, understands how she feels about Mulan, and it’s like he’s soaring now that he’s admitted his true feelings. 

Breaking apart with a pop, Regina pants, looking into his eyes. “I love you too,” she professes. A shiver goes down her spine, and he’s not sure if it’s from the emotion of it all, his kiss, or the water that’s too cold for comfort. He smiles at her, biting his lip as he ducks in to steal another languid kiss from her. 

She chuckles into their joined mouths, pecking his lips before pulling back once more. She tilts her head, reaching behind her to turn the knobs, making the water shut off. Lifting one eyebrow, she purrs out, “Make love to me, David.”

He grins wolfishly, yanking the shower curtain open. A burst of cold air hits their skin, and Regina lets out a little yelp, covering her chest and tucking her finger tips into her armpits. 

They both look at each other, laughter spilling from their lips as he makes a joke about his whipping the curtain open not being as sexy as he imagined it. 

Picking up their towels off the rack, he hands hers over as she reassures him that, “You’re sexy no matter what you do.”

Wrapping the fluffy towels around their bodies, he then takes Regina’s hand, leading her to their bed. 

He makes love to her that night, not just the passionate sex they’ve been having, no, this is different. They’ve had sex since his accident but this, this is… amazing. Something, everything, has changed. There’s emotion behind it, his love for her flowing out of every pore of his body and into her. 

He kisses her skin, every spot he can find - her neck, her earlobe, the crevice of her elbow, the skin over her heart - telling her over and over again how much he loves her, how in love with her he is. She returns the sentiment, eyes wet with tears as they both come, panting each other’s names and proclaiming their love to each other multiple times that night. 

They fall asleep later, satiated and spent, wrapped not only in each other’s arms, but in each other’s love. 

{*************************}

_ Let me know what you thought! :) _


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

“Mmm,” Regina groans, opening her eyes but immediately shutting them back with a pinch to her brow before peeking one eye open to check the time on her phone.  _ 6:00 _ .  _ Still early _ , she thinks to herself. It’s Monday, but the schools are closed for some holiday - she can’t even remember at this point - probably some fake celebration created by the dwarves and fairies to get out of working for the day. She’ll take it though, having closed the Mayor’s office for the day as well. It should be a nice day off, and one she thinks they all deserve after the catastrophe that was yesterday morning.

Last night had been wonderful, amazing really, hearing David admit that he had fallen in love with her - fully and completely - but that hadn’t made up for the guilt she felt over Olivia’s birthday, no matter how many times David assured her everything went well, he had forgiven her, and Olivia was so in love with her party that it’s all she’d talked about that whole evening before bed.

She closes her eyes, knowing Olivia will sleep for at least another hour and a half, and Henry will be dead to the world until closer to lunchtime. Regina sighs, willing herself back to sleep. She can hear David’s soft puffs of air coming from his side of the bed, and she grins, loving the sensation of having him so close again. 

She drifts off once more, dreamland pulling her under for a few moments before she’s awoken again. This time, however, it’s to the feel of David’s lips on the crook of her neck. Regina smiles, burying the side of her face that’s resting on the pillow further into the downy softness. 

“Good morning,” he mumbles, chest rattling against her back. He presses another tender smooch to her neck, higher up this time, and he trails his lips up to her jawline. 

She huffs out a soft giggle as the scruff of his beard tickles her skin, and she murmurs a sweet, “Hi,” before rolling (slowly, carefully, it’s much harder to move around on the soft mattress these days) over to face him. 

David’s arm comes to rest around her belly, and he leans in, pressing a kiss to her lips. “I love you,” he says, leaning in to steal another peck from her - one to her lips, then her cheek, the corner of her eye and over to her earlobe. She lets him take his time, savoring the feel of uninterrupted time with her husband. 

“I love you too,” she breathes, wrapping the hand not currently trapped in between their bodies around his neck. He grins down at her, and she up at him, and they laugh in delight at how easily and how wonderful those words sound coming from his mouth.

“Olivia got so many mermaid presents yesterday,” he recalls with a smirk, grunting as he rolls onto his back. 

She smiles, nodding in agreement. “She better love mermaids for the next ten years at this point.”

He laughs quietly, reaching over to rub her stomach. Their baby gives them a kick, causing Regina to wince a little, murmuring an explanation of,  _ He’s on my bladder _ .

David smiles, turning on his side to get a better view of her. “I can’t believe he’s almost here.”

Regina huffs happily, “I know, it’s going by so much faster than with Olivia.” She looks over at him, giving him a sweet smile. 

“I remember the day you went into labor,” he chuckles, and her smile grows, loving the fact that he has so many memories of Olivia back now. “I thought Henry was going to have a panic attack running around trying to get everything ready for you.”

Laughing, she nods, remembering how excited Henry had been, and how nervous he was. Her little prince already loved his baby sister so much, but the thought of her actually  _ being _ here terrified him - he didn’t know how to hold her, or what to do with her - so when Regina’s water broke in the middle of the night, and David had woken their son up to let him know they needed to go to the hospital, Henry had run around the mansion, collecting items he thought his mother might need (“A book! You’ll want something to read to her after she comes. I’ll get my storybook!” he had shouted, running back up the stairs as David made his way down with Regina’s hospital bag.) “He was more nervous than us, I think,” she giggles.

David moves closer to her then, and she wraps an arm around his neck, pulling him closer still. She leans in, giving him a lazy kiss before letting out a yawn. They both chortle, closing their eyes for a few minutes. “I need to finish putting away decorations from the party,” she says, remembering that they didn’t put the pin the tail on the mermaid or some of the banners away last night. 

“Mm,” he hums, saying he’ll take it all down for her. “You just relax, you don’t need to be doing too much.”

She rolls her eyes at his obvious concern, still too stubborn to admit that she’s slowing down the closer to her due date she gets. She still has several weeks to go, though, she’s fully capable of cleaning her house (though, using magic to finish putting all the party supplies away does sound tempting.)

He catches her eye roll, smirking over at her before leaning up to press his lips to hers, mumbling a  _ Stubborn woman _ into her mouth.

They spend a few more minutes lip-locked before she tilts back, asking, “What time is it?” between kisses, not sure how long she’d drifted off to sleep for after she first woke up. 

He pulls back, reaching over her to grab her cell phone off the nightstand and clicks the home screen to life. “Six forty-five,” he whispers, settling back beside her. 

_ Mm _ , she moans, “We still have a little bit before Olivia wakes up.”

Smiling, David leans in, pressing one more kiss to her lips before rolling over with a grunt. He chuckles, saying, “Maybe the party yesterday wore her out and she’ll sleep a little bit longer.”

Unable to contain it, Regina laughs, covering her mouth so she’s not too loud. “Doubtful,” she snickers, twisting her body to cuddle into his side. Her head comes to rest on his chest, her hand drawing lazy patterns on his stomach. “She’ll be so excited to play with her new toys that I’m sure she’ll be up at her regular time… if not earlier.” 

He nods in agreement, saying he’s positive she’ll want to play pin the tail on the mermaid some more before they put it away. 

They lay there, his hand tracing up and down her bicep while she stays curled into his side. It’s calm, peaceful, and she doesn’t want to move from this spot. 

Groaning, she mumbles into his chest, “I don’t want to get up.”

David grins, gently moving so her head lands in the warmth of his pillow. He gives her a kiss before scooting down the bed. He stops at her belly, giving it a sweet peck and a  _ Morning, little guy _ , before standing. 

“Where are you going?” she practically whines, shimmying closer to her spot as she watches him make his way around the bed.

“You stay here,” he says, taking her hand in his when he gets to her side. He gives her fingers a loving squeeze before telling her, “I’ll be back in a little bit.”

Narrowing her eyes, she looks at him suspiciously, but the thought of staying in the comfort of this bed for a few extra minutes sounds too nice to pass up. “Okay,” she drawls skeptically as he chuckles and leaves the room.

{***************************}

Making his way from their bedroom, David softly clicks the door shut. He pads down the hallway, peeking in on the children. 

Henry’s room is first, and David smirks, seeing that the teenager is still deep in sleep, his quiet snores reverberating throughout the room. It’s almost seven now, but he knows his son will sleep for a few more hours.

Closing his door, David walks over to Olivia’s bedroom. Opening the door softly, his eyes immediately go to her bed. It’s empty and her bedside lamp is emitting a soft glow throughout the room. He scrunches his brow, walking into the room and finds her on the other side of her bed, sitting criss-cross on the floor surrounded by all her new mermaid dolls. 

Smiling, he watches her from over the bed, amazed at how quietly she’s playing - talking lowly to her Barbies and dolls, making splashing noises and giggling quietly at the actions of her dolls. Normally she runs into their room as soon as she’s awake, but he assumes the elation of getting to play a few extra minutes with her new toys overpowered the desire to come cuddle with mom and dad.

David steps closer, bending down to lay across her mattress on his stomach, whispering, “Morning, baby.”

Olivia twists around, smiling up at her father. She holds up a mermaid with blue hair and says, “Look, Daddy!” She’s changed her tail from the blue it had yesterday to a bright pink and purple one that also came in the box. “I can change her tail!”

“That’s so cool!” David exclaims, running his hand through her dark hair. He sits up on the bed, swinging his feet around to join Olivia on the floor. He takes another mermaid from the carpet, brushing her hair back and pretending to make her swim through the air.

Olivia giggles, informing him seriously that, “That’s not water, Daddy. That’s the air!”

“Oh,” he chuckles, asking where the water is. 

The little girl tells him that it’s  _ Over hereeee _ while pointing to a blue blanket of hers that he’d assumed was just haphazardly thrown on the floor in her haste to play, but was, in fact, placed there strategically. “This is the ocean, silly!”

They laugh together softly, him reminding his daughter not to wake up the rest of the house. 

After a few moments of playing mermaids together, David says, “How would you like to help me make breakfast?”

With an excited,  _ Yeah! _ , Olivia stands, looking around at her collection of dolls before picking up the largest mermaid (it’s made to resemble a baby version of Ariel, and goes in the bathtub to make her tail change colors, but Olivia has clearly already played with her sans tub), and taking his hand. 

They make their way down the stairs and into the kitchen, David asking Olivia what they should make for Mommy and Henry. She thinks for a moment, chin resting in her palm as a tiny finger taps her chin, before exclaiming, “French toast sticks!”

Those sound delicious, but he knows Olivia has never been a big fan of them. She much prefers oatmeal or pancakes if given the choice. “Is that what you want, baby?”

She gives him a shrug, her long, unruly bedhead hair bouncing with the motion. “I just want cereal,” she tells him, hopping down from the stool she’d just settled onto and going over to the pantry. “Mama likes them though! And Henry will be excited to have them... if he’s up before lunch,” she giggles. 

Opening the pantry door, Olivia stretches onto her tiptoes and grabs a box of Captain Crunch, bringing it out of the pantry and carrying it over to David. 

He smiles, overwhelmed with how sweet their little girl is. “That’s very sweet of you, Liv. Mama will be so happy.”

Olivia beams with pride at his words, holding the box up and asking him to pour her some breakfast. 

Once settled on her barstool at the island, cereal already being devoured while Ariel sits perched on the counter beside the bowl, David gets to work on making breakfast for his wife. 

He rummages around the kitchen as Olivia chatters on to him and her doll about taking a bath later to watch Ariel’s tail change colors, wondering exactly what colors it’ll change to, and how she can’t wait to watch The Little Mermaid  _ with _ The Little Mermaid. He pulls out what he needs from the cupboard, placing the items on the counter, then grabs the cold ingredients from the refrigerator before picking up the loaf of bread tucked away in the corner of the other countertop. 

Setting it all on the island so he can face Olivia as he works, he gets started. He walks over to the oven, setting it to preheat. When he turns around, Olivia is there, empty bowl in hand. 

“Did you have enough?” he asks, taking the bowl from her little hands. 

She nods, assuring him with a, “Sure did!” before scurrying from the kitchen. He chuckles, moving to the dishwasher to clean up after her before prepping the pan he needs for Regina’s breakfast.

Olivia runs in then, a coloring book and her plastic bin of markers and crayons in hand. She climbs back up onto the barstool, setting her things down and readjusting Ariel on the counter. She pats the doll on the head, giving the redheaded toy a grin before looking over at David’s pile of ingredients curiously. 

Shrugging nonchalantly, she opens her coloring book and selects the perfect picture to work on while he whisks together the sugar and cinnamon in one bowl, then moves to mix the milk, eggs, and vanilla in another. 

He cuts the bread into strips, thankful they still had Texas toast left over from their spaghetti the other night so he is able to make Regina’s favorite “I’m indulging for the day” breakfast. He knows she’s exhausted, and probably still feeling guilty about yesterday, but he loves her. Can say that confidently now, and he wants to make sure she gets a day to relax after using so much magic and energy for the party. 

Looking up to check on an oddly quiet Olivia, he sees her in deep concentration. Her tongue is poking out, curled to rest on the corner of her top lip as she carefully outlines a princess (he thinks it’s the Disney version of Snow?) with the marker before coloring it in with crayon - a skill he knows Regina taught her. He’s seen them color together hundreds of times and can now vividly remember Regina teaching their daughter to color this way when she was a little younger.

He smiles over at the raven haired beauty before going back to his task. He dips the strips of bread into the mixtures before placing them on the baking sheet. “Do you want to help?” he asks, catching Olivia’s attention.

She shakes her head though, claiming it’s too messy and, “I’d have to wash my hands before coloring again!”

Laughing, he agrees, and says she can help sprinkle the cinnamon on top if she wants since that’s not as messy. “Oh, yes!” she squeals, hopping down from her stool.

She walks around the island, and David picks her up, setting her on the countertop next to the baking sheet. 

They smirk at each other as Olivia twists her body, picking up the plastic container of cinnamon. She sounds out the words on the bottle, smiling proudly when she reads it. 

David smiles, telling her he’ll put the butter on them and then she can sprinkle the cinnamon.

Working together, they get all the pieces perfectly coated and ready to bake. David helps Olivia down, who then goes immediately back to her coloring book after wiping her hand on a dish towel. 

He takes the pan, sliding it into the oven and setting the timer. Once that’s done, he whirls around, opening his mouth to ask Olivia what she wants to do but sees that she’s gone. 

Shaking his head in amusement, he walks into the living room to see if she’d gone in there. Sure enough, she’s cuddled on the couch with the giant, yellow with pink polka dots octopus pillow Ruby had given her yesterday,  _ The Little Mermaid _ already playing on the DVD player. She looks up, smiling at David and using one of the octopus’ tentacles to wave at him. 

She bursts into laughter at her own antics, asking David to come watch the movie with her. 

Unable to refuse such a sweet request, he makes his way over, saying, “I can watch for a few minutes, but then I need to go get the food ready for Mama.”

She nods, cuddling into his side, octopus tentacles awkwardly jabbing into his ribs as she does so. 

“I love this part,” she whispers in infatuation, eyes glued to the television like a zombie. He watches as Ariel’s sisters pop out from giant shells, all singing a beautiful tune while Sebastian directs them in their performance. 

They watch together, Olivia’s hand idly twirling a tentacle, as the characters realize Ariel is missing. She sits up, gripping the plush octopus to her body as the shark appears, and before he can see Ariel rescue Flounder, the timer is going off in the kitchen. 

Pressing a kiss to the top of Olivia’s head, he makes his exit, heading to the kitchen.

Once there, he pulls the sticks from the oven, setting them down on the stove top while he retrieves the syrup from the pantry. 

He fixes a plate, pours some syrup into a small sauce cup and placing it next to the french toast sticks on the plate. He puts the plate on a tray, complete with a glass of cold milk. Regina’s been on a milk kick the past few days, so he assumes (hopes) that’s what she and baby want this morning, too. 

After getting it all settled, he cleans the few dishes he didn’t do earlier, sticking them in the dishwasher before heading out of the kitchen. There’s still some sticks left over for Henry, so he leaves those on the baking sheet on top of the stove. He stops by the living room, checking to make sure Olivia is still watching the movie. “I’m going to take this up to Mama now,” he whispers.

She glances over, giving him a nod and a little thumbs up before turning back to her movie. She’s sprawled out on the couch now, octopus being used as a pillow. 

David makes his way up the stairs, the fourth from the top squeaking like always as he steps onto it. 

Opening their bedroom door, he smiles. Regina is fast asleep, phone resting on her belly. The bathroom light is on and the door is cracked, so he assumes she at least moved once before climbing back in bed. 

Setting the tray down on her nightstand, he sits on the edge of the bed. Tracing his finger tip over her face, he then tucks a piece of dark hair behind her ear. He smiles down at her, overwhelmed once again with how quickly he’s fallen in love with his wife all over again. 

_ “Here we go!” he exclaims, hip pushing the door open as he brings a tray into their bedroom. “Breakfast in bed!” _

_ Regina looks up from her phone, eyes shimmering. “What’s all this?” she laughs, pulling her legs into a criss-cross position on the bed.  _

_ “I wanted to surprise you,” he tells her, bending down to kiss her lips fully. Henry is away at Emma’s for the weekend, and Olivia had spent the night with Snow and Mulan, giving them a whole evening to themselves. It was needed too. Olivia is almost three and he can’t remember the last time they had a whole night in their house with no kids. Sure, he’s taken her out of town a few times, and they’ve stayed in a hotel, but there’s something so nice and relaxing about being kid-free in your home for a night. They were able to make love anywhere they wanted (and oh, did they ever.), and they could be as loud as they wanted (and ohh, were they ever. He doesn’t think he’s ever heard Regina scream that loud before, not that he’s complaining. The sounds had gone straight to his cock, causing him to come almost instantaneously.)  _

_ “What did I do to deserve this?” she chuckles, taking a sip of the apple juice he’d paired the pancakes with.  _

_ He smiles, shrugging his shoulders and saying, “I think we both worked up quite the appetite last night.” His eyebrows bounce with his words, causing Regina to giggle and shake her head. She leans over, best she can with a tray in her lap, and presses a firm kiss to his mouth. He reciprocates it, deepening the kiss before pulling back and swiping a pancake off her plate. He munches on it happily, watching as she dips each bite daintily into the syrup cup - never one to pour the sticky substance all over her breakfast.  _

_ They eat and talk, laughing and enjoying their time together. Once the food has all been eaten, they lay there for a little while longer, cuddled together as the television plays. They’re watching some cheesy romance movie on Lifetime - one he could care less about, but Regina seems completely immersed in the storyline. He’s not really paying attention to it though, too consumed with kissing his wife every chance he gets. She smirks with each kiss he steals, smacking his chest playfully, saying she’s trying to watch the movie. He moves his arms, reaching one over her torso so he’s straddling her body and looks down at her. She bites her bottom lip, shaking her head. He leans down, trailing kisses along her jaw as her hand comes to weave between the hair at the base of his neck, nails scratching slightly. She tugs him closer, moving her head to meet his, and she places a searing kiss to his lips. He traces her lips with his tongue, entering when she opens on a moan. David doesn’t think he’ll ever tire of kissing those plump lips. “I love you,” he tells her, running a hand up and down her thigh. _

_ “I love you too,” she replies, scooting further into the mattress as his hand slides up to find her sex. With wandering hands and blazing kisses, they spend the rest of the morning pulling as many loud moans from each other as they can before the kids come home, the movie long forgotten. _

Shaking his head, David takes a deep breath. Memories of their passion always making him feel a bit tight in the pants. He sighs, a smile on his face at the new memory his brain has gifted him with and the sight of his gorgeous wife. He leans down, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. It scrunches at the action, a puff of air exhaling through her mouth. She moans sleepily, turning her head and cracking her eyes open just enough to see him. “What’re doing?” she mumbles, voice thick with sleep. 

David chuckles, rubbing her belly as he explains, “It’s almost eight, babe. Olivia and I made you breakfast.”

She sits up slowly, stretching her shoulders as she does. “Eight?” she asks, picking up her phone off her stomach. “I must’ve fallen back asleep.”

They laugh softly at her words, his eyes looking down at her phone and his eyebrows raised. “I think the phone on your stomach means you did too.”

She giggles sheepishly, saying, “I was looking at Instagram and must’ve dozed off.”

“No worries,” he tells her, saying he wanted her to relax. “You deserved to sleep in after yesterday.”

Her face falls at that, and she looks away, placing her phone on the nightstand as she pushes her palms into the mattress to help her sit up. “Not like that,” he assures her, shifting to give her more room. He reaches over, grabbing the tray off the nightstand and brings it to rest over her thighs. “I just meant from all the magic you used - it took a lot of energy to pull that amazing party together.”

She relaxes at his words, smiling over at him. Regina looks down, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “French toast sticks?”

As she licks her lips, he explains that Olivia said they were her favorite so therefore they had to make them for you. “I wanted to make you breakfast, and she insisted it be these. I hope this is what baby boy wants this morning?”

Rubbing her stomach, Regina beams. “Baby always wants french toast sticks,” she jokes.

Chuckling, David stands, walking to his side of the bed as he tells her there’s more downstairs if she wants them when she finishes this round.

“Wait,” she says suddenly. “Olivia is awake?”

He smiles, telling her how she had been awake when he first got out of bed earlier, playing quietly with her toys. “She’s currently cuddled on the couch, surrounded by mermaid and octopus toys, watching a movie.”

Regina grins, nodding her head. “She’s always been so good at entertaining herself - always in her own little world.”

Agreeing, he says he’s sure she’ll find her way up here in no time to show off all her new toys, and Regina agrees with a laugh.

“Mm,” she smiles, scooting closer to him as he climbs back under the covers on his side of the bed, back resting against the headboard. “There’s plenty of birthday cake left, isn’t there?” She smirks, wagging her eyebrows at him. 

He chuckles, agreeing. “There was a lot left over, the whole bottom part of the tail if I’m not mistaken.”

Regina licks her lips again, adjusting the pillow behind her back. “Oh, I want a slice of that.”

Smiling, David sighs, just getting comfortable, but knowing he’d do anything for Regina. He needs to go check on Olivia anyway. “Your wish is my command, your majesty,” he jests, standing from the bed and giving her a mock bow.

She rolls her eyes, grin firmly in place as she gives her best impression of her former self, that cold, deadly look in her eye and a cocked eyebrow as she says, “Yes, thank you, shepherd. Be on your way.”

They laugh together as David makes his way from the room, assuring her he’ll be right back with her dessert.

Walking downstairs, he sees Olivia is still watching the movie, halfway through at this point, but she’s gathered a collection of new ocean puzzles and mermaid legos on the coffee table in front of her, so he knows she’ll be blissfully playing for at least another hour. 

He tiptoes into the kitchen, not wanting to disturb her (and knowing he’ll fall victim to giving her a slice of cake as well when she inevitably turns those puppy dog eyes on him, and there’s no way he’s giving their seven year old a sugar rush so early in the morning). David pulls the lid off of the cake, cutting two generous slices before forking a few extra bites off for himself from what’s left of the tail. 

Popping another sliver into his mouth, he closes the lid and carries the cake slices back upstairs.

{*********************}

“I hope this pleases the Queen!” he teases as he enters the room. 

Her stomach rumbles at the thought of eating the sugary indulgence this morning, despite just having finished a meal full of carbs and sugar. She’d regret these food decisions normally, but today, she figures, will be a day of indulgence. They’ll laze around the house, probably all four watch a movie and nap before she finally pulls herself from the haze of relaxation and finishes cleaning the living room. That’ll work off some of this food, she muses. 

“It certainly does,” she jokes, clicking her phone shut and sitting up further in the bed. She should really get out of bed, but, it’s still early, she tells herself. She’s got the rest of the day to get up.  

She knows Olivia is downstairs, and her daughter has always loved playing by herself, using her imagination. It’s almost nine at this point, so she’s positive the little girl will grow bored and come upstairs soon enough. 

David hands her a small paper plate with a generous slice of birthday cake situated on it before getting in the bed with his. He clicks the television on - he has always liked having background noise - and mindlessly flips through the channels before settling on HGTV. 

They watch for a few moments as a couple tries to decide which house they want to buy with their newly won lottery money, and David makes commentary about each one, causing Regina to snort. 

She takes a bite of her cake, practically moaning in pleasure when the vanilla cake hits her tongue. “Good?” David asks, looking over at her.

Covering her mouth with one hand, and holding the fork up with the other, she mumbles, “So good,” through the bite she’s trying to finish. 

He takes a bite of his, telling her he’d already snuck a few bites downstairs and, “I have to say, it’s delicious. You outdid yourself this year.”

Smiling, she thanks him before turning her attention back to the TV. She’s not really paying attention, though, her mind a million miles away as she nibbles on the sweet dessert. Her thoughts wander to Snow and the baby shower she’d once again mentioned yesterday.

“Snow asked me again about when I want to have the baby shower,” she tells him. 

He looks over at her, asking when she wants it. “We only have what, nine weeks or so left before he’s supposed to come?”

Chuckling, she nods her head. “I know,” she huffs. “We’ve just been so busy with everything else.”

They discuss their weekend plans for the next few weeks, and finally decide that four weekends from now works best. “Babies come early all the time,” she says, “and thirty-five weeks might be pushing it, but it’s the first weekend we don’t already have plans.”

He nods, agreeing that a few weekends from now will be just fine. Regina already has a playdate set up for Olivia next Saturday, him and Henry have had a guys trip to go to a Red Sox game two weekends from now planned, and Snow will be out of town the weekend after that with Mulan.  “We registered for everything a few weeks ago, right?”

Humming in acknowledgement, she says, “Yes. We don’t need a stroller or anything big since we already have that, but it’ll be nice to get some of the small items that we registered for.”

Taking another bite, she chews thoughtfully before saying, “I told her not to invite too many people.”

David snickers, swallowing his bite of cake. “That’s like telling a dwarf not to collect diamonds.”

Laughing, she shakes her head, saying she hopes for once in her life, Snow listened to her. “We don’t need a lot, and I don’t need a lot of people fawning over my giant belly.” She goes on, saying she gave Snow strict instructions that there would be no games - no guessing how much toilet paper it would take to go around her stomach, no blindfolded diaper changing or bobbing for pacifiers, or any other ridiculous game Snow could come up with (she’d already been tortured with those games at Olivia’s shower anyway). 

He sets his now empty plate aside, scooting closer to her. His breath is warm on her neck, sending a shiver down her spine, when he says, “But you’d be adorable wrapped in toilet paper.”

Rolling her eyes, she tilts her head away from his, motioning to the television, trying to change the subject.  “Look, they went with the second house.”

He groans, pulling away from her with a light chuckle, saying they should’ve gone with house number three. She grins, popping the last bite of cake into her mouth and reaching over to set the plate down on her nightstand. 

She picks up her glass of milk, taking one last swig to rinse the cake particles down and out of her mouth, and when she turns back, David is looking at her with a hunger in his eyes. “What?” she titters nervously, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. That lust filled stare sends another shiver through her, heat flooding her as a rush of wetness finds her core, and suddenly all she wants is him. Now.

“You’re just so beautiful,” he says with a smirk, crawling slowly over to her on his hands and knees. “So sexy,” he breathes, biting his lip as he moves to hover over her body.

She laughs, wondering where this sudden lust for her came from, but doesn’t question it as he lowers his head down to hers. 

{***********************}

Pressing his lips to hers, silencing her laugh, he slides his tongue out, silently begging for entrance. 

She opens them, simultaneously wrapping her arms around his neck as she slides down further into the bed, pulling him with her. He groans, laying closer to her body. 

They switch then, him laying on his back as Regina moves to straddle his waist. She smirks coyly down at him, a look so reminiscent of the sexy and alluring Queen he’d once known. She always gets this lustful gaze in her eyes when she’s turned on, and he loves bringing it out in her. 

She takes his shoulders in her palms, bringing him up half way to meet her as she lowers her lips, kissing her way down his jaw and down to his neck before coming back up to whisper, “touch me,” into his ear. 

Not needing to be told twice, his hands move from where they’ve been perched on her hips down to her rounded ass. Giving each cheek a tender squeeze, he moans into her mouth as her hips start to grind on his lap. 

He can feel himself hardening beneath her, and fuck, he loves his wife. “Sit back for a second, babe,” he tells her, and as she does, a confused look in her eye, he chuckles, saying he wants to feel her on his skin. 

Regina grins wolfishly, helping him remove his t-shirt before bending back down, sliding her chest sensually up his, the fabric of her tank top causing his nipples to pebble. He kisses her shoulder, giving it a little nip before pressing kiss after hot kiss to her neck and lips. 

“God, I love you,” he says, rubbing up and down her thighs as she continues to grind against him. “So much.” Her hands rub over his chest, moaning as her tongue tangles with his. She grips at his biceps, panting out how much she loves him too. 

“David, touch me,” she begs again, and he reaches down, tugging at the band of her yoga pants. She grunts, murmuring how she wore too many clothes to bed, and he just smiles. “Hang on,” she whines, rolling off of him and onto her back. 

She shimmies out of her pants best she can before getting stopped by her protruding stomach and looking to him for help with a sheepish smile on her face. He scoots over, taking the stretchy pants from her hands and slowly sliding them down her toned legs. She claims her feet are starting to swell, but to him, she’s still perfect (and would be even if she was swollen all over - he knows he’d think she was the most beautiful woman in the world no matter what her body looked like).

Tossing the pants to the end of the bed, he situates himself between her legs. “This seems like a much better option than resituating ourselves like we were.”

She sighs out a soft chortle, nodding. He brings one hand up, sliding a finger through her folds, and she moans, her head falling back into the pillow. “Yeah,” she breathes, “much better.”

His other hand continues caressing up and down her leg, giving her calf a light squeeze of affection. They’d spent the whole night last night making love, over and over - on the bed, up against the wall, even on the bathroom counter somehow - him showing her exactly how much he finally loved her, but even still, he wants her now more than ever. Doesn’t think he’ll ever tire of having her like this.

He loves this woman, would spend the rest of his natural born life between her legs showing her just how much if he could. “You’re so wet,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh. 

“Mmhm,” she sighs, both hands coming to rest in his blonde hair. He spends the next several minutes working her up with his fingers, before going to press his tongue to her. “Wait!” she exclaims, pushing his head further away from her sex. 

He looks at her quizzically, pulling himself from the sex induced haze he’d just been in. “You alright?” he asks, reaching up to touch her belly, thinking something might be wrong.

She shakes her head, grinning down at him. “Don’t you dare even dream of eating me out when your tongue is covered in sugar from that cake.”

Guffawing, he concedes, giving her a nod. He moves back to where he’d been, breathing hotly on her core as he spreads her legs a little wider. “I’ll just have to make do with these then,” he tells her, sliding two digits into her.  

She moans at the sensation and has to cover her mouth, clearly remembering that their daughter is awake and downstairs. He smirks up at her, asking a cocky, “Feel good?” before adding a third finger to accompany his others.

David moans at the sensation, the feel of her wetness clenching around him causing him to harden even further. Fuck, he wants to be inside of her, but knows there’s no time. This needs to be quick before Olivia finds her way to their bedroom. He wonders briefly if he locked the door when he brought the cake up, but doesn’t think he did. Better make this a  _ very _ fast quickie. He moves up, fingers still working her closer and closer to an orgasm, wanting to show her once again just how much he loves her. He sucks on her neck, pulling another deep, stifled moan from her throat. 

Trailing his lips up, sucking on all the places he knows make her go weak, he makes it to her mouth. Covering her lips with his, he hums in pleasure at the feel of her beneath him. 

His fingers move in and out, in and out, quickening and then slowing down, before finding that spot that sends her spiraling out of control. After a few more minutes, she comes hard, gasping his name. 

“Damn,” she pants, pushing her hair from her face. “That was…” she huffs out, unable to finish her sentence.

He grins smugly, coming to sit beside her. She sits up, commanding him to take off his sweatpants, which he does in no time, tossing them to join her yoga pants at the foot of the bed. Once naked, she straddles him once again like before and gives him a knowing smirk. She rocks her hips, rolling them against his stomach, the heat from her sex making him fully erect (he thinks he might combust if he doesn’t come soon), before sliding, as gracefully as she can, down to her knees and onto the carpet.

David sits up, sliding his ass to the edge of the bed as Regina takes his thighs in her palms, spreading his legs further apart. She gives his cock a few teasing strokes and his eyes close at the sensation. He opens them just in time to see her lick her plump lips as she begins to lower her head. “You don’t have to,” he tells her, breathing heavier than moments ago. “I wanted to pleasure you this morning.”

“And I want to do the same for you,” she cuts him off, tilting her body back a touch to see him better. She pumps her hand up and down while her other grips his thigh. 

She gives his member those pressured strokes that make his stomach feel like quaking jell-o, before lowering her head and swirling her tongue around the tip of his member. Regina breathes out as she lowers her head, then  _ moans _ as she takes him deeper into her mouth, the vibrations putting him on edge. He’s not sure he can last long with the way her hot mouth feels licking and sucking him to the point of no return. 

His head falls back, a groan escaping him and a,  _ Yes, fuck, Regina _ , as he strokes his fingers lovingly through her dark hair. Her head bobs up and down, up and down, over and over again, going deeper with each downward motion. She looks up at him through hooded eyes, smirking around his cock, and the sight of that alone is enough to finish him off. 

He comes several minutes later, moaning her name into their quiet bedroom, his wife swallowing his come before he can think to offer to come somewhere else. She pulls back, though, a proud smile on her face as she licks her lips. 

David grimaces, knowing it’s probably not the most pleasant taste, but she doesn’t seem to mind. That little minx. 

She presses her hands into the mattress on either side of his thighs, pushing herself up. He helps her stand, grinning up at her as she straddles his lap. He gives her belly a gentle rub before she leans down, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses to his neck. “I should brush my teeth,” she whispers, causing him to chuckle. “And you should wash off since I ate cake too,” she scrunches her nose, apologizing as she glances down at his lap. He shakes his head, assuring her wholeheartedly that, “You should never apologize for doing what you just did,” causing her to let out a breathy giggle.

He agrees, however, saying they need to get cleaned up and dressed, but he also wants to hold her for a few more minutes. She rolls her eyes, huffing out a mock-irritated breath before allowing him to kiss and suck on her neck and jaw. “Olivia is bound to come in here sooner rather than later, David,” she sighs, stroking up and down his biceps. “I don’t think her finding you naked and me pantless would be the best way to start off the day.”

Sighing in defeat, knowing his love is right, he pulls back from her neck. They laugh softly with one another over their overwhelming lust for the other before she stands, taking his hand and leading them to the bathroom.

When they’re finally situated back in bed, fully clothed once more in pajamas and no evidence of their actions on either of them, he wraps his arm around her shoulders. David brings her closer to his side (his favorite place for her to be), pressing a loving kiss to the top of her head and telling her once more how much he loves her as they watch the next family pick their favorite house on the TV.

{***********************}

Sure enough, just as she’d warned him when he claimed he wanted to hold her naked just a little bit longer, the door creaks open, and Olivia comes bounding in, Ariel in one arm and her plush octopus in the other. She can barely see her daughter behind the toys, and she and David snigger as the little girl attempts to climb into their bed with her arms full. Regina places one hand on the edge of the tray that sits on the nightstand, telling Olivia to be careful not to knock it over, while also taking the octopus from her. 

Once settled into bed, Olivia nestles into Regina’s side, her tiny hand on her mother’s belly, octopus and Ariel beside her, a plastic foot poking into David’s hip, they all relax for a few moments, Olivia chattering away about her new toys. 

“I need to take a bath!” she gasps suddenly, sitting up on her knees and looking down at her parents.

Regina’s brow furrows, knowing she gave her a bath last night. “What do you mean?”

Olivia reaches down, picking up her mermaid and holding it closer to Regina’s face. “My Ariel, Mama!” she sighs exasperatedly, as if her immediate need for a bath is the most obvious thing in the world, “Her tail changes colors when it gets wet!”

“Oh,” she chuckles, pulling the doll down and out of her face, “well then we need to bathe right away!” Regina finishes with a dramatic flair. 

Olivia hops from the bed, calling over her shoulder for them to hurry up. She scampers into the en suite bathroom in their bedroom, singing “Part of Your World” as she strips her nightgown off, tossing it onto the bathroom counter.

David laughs, saying, “I guess we should get in there,” before giving her one more kiss. He can’t seem to stop kissing her this morning, but she’ll never complain about that. She loves her husband, overjoyed he loves her now too, so she’ll take all the kisses she can get. She knows now how quickly it can all be taken away, and she never wants to regret not soaking up every last minute with her other half ever again. 

“You go,” she groans, stretching her back. “It’ll take me a minute to get up again and in there.”

Laughing, David nods, making his way into the bathroom. 

She can hear her daughter’s squeals of glee and David’s monster sounds echoing around the tiled room, and she grins. 

Padding her way into the bathroom, she sits on the closed lid of the toilet while David kneels down next to the tub. Olivia is already in, water running and filling it up as she plays. 

Once there’s enough water in the basin, Olivia picks up the Ariel doll from the lip of the tub and asks if they’re ready. She and David both give her an encouraging nod, and she places the doll in the water. 

They all watch in amazement as the green tail slowly starts to change color from the bottom all the way to the top of the fin. It turns a blue color, then magenta, before fading into a light purple. “Cool!” Olivia gasps, her eyes going wide as she laughs in delight. 

Regina spends the next few minutes watching her daughter play, David attempting to at least clean her body off while she splashes around with her Ariel so this bath isn’t a complete waste of water.

She rubs her stomach, daydreaming and thinking about what life will soon be like with three kids in the house. How will they manage Olivia and a baby? Henry was already a teenager when Olivia came along, and she can’t imagine life with two small children. 

They can do it, though, she knows. Olivia will love this baby and is already excited to help. And Regina knows that she now has David fully by her side to help. 

Pulling herself from her musings, she smiles down at father and daughter. He’s such a good dad, and she’s so lucky that he chose her. It’s moments like these, especially now that he’s admitted to loving her, that she forgets he still doesn’t have all of his memories back. 

That thought brings out a whole new set of insecurities - ones about the depth of David’s love for her, and if they’ll ever be like they used to - but she pushes them down for the time being, simply enjoying her time with her husband and daughter.  

And by the time Henry finally emerges from the depths of his bedroom right before lunchtime, the family all settles together in the living room - Henry and Olivia with slices of cake and lunches to fill their bellies - to watch a movie and spend the rest of the afternoon in their pajamas. The perfect day off indeed. 

{**************************}

_ There you have it! I figured these two needed a nice, fluffy, domestic day amongst all that’s been going on lately lol. I hope you enjoyed it… We only have a few more chapters left - eek! Please leave a review and let me know what y’all thought. Thanks! _

  
  
****


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Thanks to those of you who have left reviews. It really helps motivate me to write more of this story. We only have about two more chapters left, so I hope you are still enjoying it. Enjoy this update and, as always, let me know what you thought! :)
> 
> {***************************}

**Chapter 10:**

Excitement doesn’t even begin to describe how David is feeling today. They are doing what Regina called a 4D ultrasound - more detailed than the 3D ones Dr. Whale has been administering at his office. 

She’d told him last week after Olivia’s birthday party that they were going to go and that this ultrasound would show their son’s face in more detail - they would be able to see tiny little features that the regular, grainy image couldn’t produce. Once she described it, he remembered going to Olivia’s; getting to see her little face on the screen had been an amazing experience.

“Are you ready?” the woman, Ashley, asks them. 

David squeezes Regina’s hand, leaning down to place a kiss to the top of her head as he nods, looking down to make sure his wife is ready as well. 

She’s situated on a bed, the room is different than the ones in the hospital. It’s much more welcoming. There’s a couch and chairs in the front part of the room for if people bring family members with them and a corner full of toys, which Olivia is currently dutifully playing with while they get Regina comfortable on the bed. The bed is nestled in the back part of the room behind the couch so that it faces a large, empty wall that the ultrasound will project onto. 

She shifts, tucking her shirt up a little bit higher before confirming that she’s good to go. 

“Alright,” the blonde girl smiles, reminding her the gel will be cold. She squirts a dollop on Regina’s belly before smearing it around with the doppler. 

After a few seconds, the blank wall directly across from the bed lights up with what the machine is seeing. Olivia is babbling away in the corner to herself and the stuffed animals she’s found to play with, and David gently shushes her so they can hear her baby brother’s heart beat. 

The room echoes with the  _ thump, thump, thump  _ of his little heart, and tears instantly spring to David’s eyes. He loves that sound. “Oh, man,” he breathes, looking down to Regina with a wide grin on his face.

Her emotions match his, her brown eyes wet with tears as well as she beams up at him. Ashley clicks a button on the machine, and before he knows it, his son’s face is right before his eyes. A sepia colored image of the baby resting inside his wife’s stomach. It’s so much clearer than the regular ones, so much more detailed. He’s in awe. He remembers doing this with Olivia, but seeing it again, it’s amazing. Technology really is an astounding thing this world has. 

“Look at his nose,” Regina giggles, pointing to the wall.

“I see my brother!” Olivia gasps, standing up and walking to look at the giant image more closely. 

The adults all chuckle at her joy as David asks her to take a step back so they can all see without her shadow in front of it. The little girl giggles, walking over and climbing into David’s lap. “Sorry, Daddy!”

He leans down, kissing the top of her head, assuring her it’s fine. David sets Olivia down, encouraging her to go play while they finish up. 

She scurries off, humming softly to herself as she finds a puzzle stashed in the basket to play with. 

David smiles, turning back to look at the screen. “I think he has my nose,” he declares proudly, reaching up to touch his own in confirmation.

Regina chuckles, nodding in agreement. “And… my mouth… maybe?” She huffs playfully, saying it’s not fair that all their babies inherit his features in the beginning. 

He laughs, when a memory suddenly assaults him. 

_ “It’s not fair, David,” Regina whines, crawling onto the bed. She straddles his waist and his hands come to rest on hers, smooth skin beneath his finger tips.  _

_ “What’s not fair, babe?” _

_ She huffs, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips before rolling off, flopping down onto her side of the bed. “She looks just like you.” _

_ He laughs, craning his neck to look over at the baby monitor screen that sits on his night stand. Olivia is in her crib, fast asleep and sucking her thumb.  _

_ “She’s still young,” he laughs, “Don’t they always look like their dad for the first few months?” _

_ “She’s almost eight months old!” she sighs, rolling onto her side to face him. Regina smiles up at him, reaching over to run her fingers through his hair. “I guess if she can’t look like me, it’s a good thing you’re handsome.” _

_ Chortling, David rolls to his side as well, nodding and reminding her that Olivia has her dark hair at least.  _

_ Regina scoots closer, draping her arm over his hip. “You’re right,” she sighs dramatically, placing a peck to his shoulder. Her lips trail up, planting a kiss to his neck, then his earlobe, before finding his lips.  _

_ He groans into the kiss, deepening it when he rolls onto his back, bringing Regina to lay on top of him. “And who knows,” he mumbles when he pulls back, pecking her lips once more. “Maybe one day she’ll look just like you.” _

_ “You think so?” she beams, biting her lip in hope.  _

_ David nods, telling her he thinks her blue eyes are here to stay but he has no doubt the older their daughter gets, the more like her mother she’ll look. “She’s already starting to look different day by day.”  _

_ Regina smiles, pressing her lips to his again. She pulls her head back, smirking as she says, “Good, I can’t have another kid look like a Charming.” _

_ David guffaws at that, taking his hand that’s been resting on her rear up to her side, tickling her for good measure. She squeals, rolling off of him and holding up her hands in surrender. He laughs, stating that Henry at least inherited some features from Neal so he’s not, “all Charming and nothing else.” _

_ She giggles, nodding her head and letting out a sarcastic, “Thank God,” before whapping him on his chest as payback for the tickles. “At least you’re cute,” she says with a shrug, linking their hands together between them. _

_ David grins over at her, situating the covers around their bodies. “And Olivia will be gorgeous no matter which one of us she ends up looking like.” _

_ “Mmhm,” she agrees, already starting to drift off to sleep.  _

_ As David lays there, caressing his wife’s hand, he can’t help but to just know, somehow, that their little princess will definitely look like their queen one of these days. _

Shaking his head, he chuckles to himself, knowing he’d been right. Not long after that night, Olivia’s features had started to slowly morph more into her mother’s likeness than his. She still has her beautiful blue eyes like him, and his cheekbones and ears, but that hair, her little nose, those pink, pouty lips… those are all Regina, and he couldn’t be more thankful for such a gorgeous little girl.

“David?” she asks, tugging on his hand. 

He blinks, shaking his head again as he grins down at her. “Sorry,” he whispers, pointing to his brain momentarily, “Memory came back to me.”

She smiles, nodding. This has happened several times since he’s gotten home from the hospital so many weeks ago. It’s just part of their new normal now. If he ever spaces out, Regina or Henry are usually there waiting to ask if he’d gotten another memory back or if he was just daydreaming. 

Regina squeezes his hand, looking over to Ashley and then back to the screen. She moves the wand around, trying to get the little guy to move in her belly. They play music from David’s phone (like they do some nights before bed), hoping it’ll make him move so they can get a better image of his little arms and legs. Their son wiggles a little bit, enough for them to get a glimpse of him, and David can’t help but grin watching their baby move to the music he loves so much.  Ashley takes a few more pictures, printing enough for each parent to have one (Snow and Emma as well), and before they leave, they record the baby’s heartbeat. 

Once recorded, Ashley can put it into a device that sits inside a stuffed animal. Regina chooses the elephant to match their son’s nursery, and the younger woman places it inside, handing it to Olivia and telling her to give it a squeeze.

Their daughter does, hugging the elephant to her body but pulling back with a gasp when the heartbeat she’d just heard on the screen comes from the toy. “Cool!” Olivia chuckles, pressing on the elephant’s stomach once more. 

They smile watching her, and then Ashley cleans the gel off Regina’s belly, confirming how many prints they want of the ultrasound. 

Once she’s cleaned and David has helped her from the bed, they take their pictures, once again marveling at the details they can see on their son’s face (he’s sucking his thumb in one picture and Regina just can’t get over how adorable it is, claiming they need to put that one on the refrigerator). Making their way from the building, ensuring Olivia still has a tight hold on the elephant, the three of them make their way back home. 

Henry is there doing homework, and Regina is excited to get home and show him his little brother. David sighs contentedly to himself as they all climb into his truck. He looks over at his wife, then in the rearview mirror to Olivia who sits happily in the back, swinging her legs and talking to Regina about going to the park later with her, Eli, and Eric.

Regina promises they’ll go once they drop the elephant and everything off at home, telling their daughter that Snow had some errands to run this morning but they’ll meet up with them once she’s finished.

David listens, still in a daze at the memory he’d unlocked earlier and how wonderful his life truly is with Regina by his side. He takes her hand in his, bringing it to his lips to press a soft kiss there and reversing from the parking spot, making their way back home. 

{*************************}

David and Henry had decided to join her and Olivia at the park, making for a fun family outing. They headed out a little before Snow and Mulan were able to meet, giving the four of them a chance to enjoy a picnic in the grass. 

It’s mid-September so the weather outside feels amazing. The sun is out today, warming her skin, but there’s a light breeze billowing through the trees that shade the patch of ground they chose for their picnic. She’s laying on the blanket now as David cleans up their sandwich crumbs and emptied bottles of water, Olivia curled into her side, stroking her bump gently. Henry is reading them a story from one of his story books, and she could almost fall asleep from the peacefulness she feels. 

Although she does wonder how she’s going to get up with her giant belly now that she’s made it down to the ground. Sighing, she figures she can have David hoist her up if need be, and continues to card her fingers through Olivia’s long, dark hair, twisting the ends that already have a natural curl to them. 

David settles across from her, sitting criss cross on the blanket and giving her a warm, loving smile as he reaches over, massaging her foot that is sticking out toward him. God, that feels amazing. If she could physically lean all the way back on this blanket, she would definitely fall asleep for the rest of the afternoon. They spend the next few minutes listening to Henry’s story, Olivia making comments at the silly parts, causing them all the chuckle. 

“Hey everyone!” Snow’s voice calls, popping the serene bubble her family had created. She can’t be too mad, though, this  _ is _ the reason they came out here this afternoon.

“Hey, Snow! Mulan!” Henry calls, clapping his book shut and tossing it onto the checkered picnic basket. He stands, walking over to scoop Eli up into the air, causing the boy to squeal in delight. Olivia joins them, chasing after her brother with Eric as Henry throws Eli on his shoulder, dashing away in an attempt to thwart their advances. It’s adorable, and makes all the adults smile in their direction. 

The kids make their way to the swings, calling for David to come push them (the boys claim David is a better pusher than any of the women). At their insistence, David rolls his eyes in humor, helping Regina up off the blanket. He presses a kiss to her cheek before smiling over at Snow and Mulan and running off to join the children. 

She smiles, shaking her head at his excitement as he hollers down to the boys that they better get ready to fly. He really is just a big kid at heart sometimes, and she loves him for it. 

“He’s so good with them,” Mulan comments, settling on the wooden bench. 

Snow and Regina join her as Regina agrees, claiming he’s amazing with children. “He’s a great dad,” she beams, watching him play with all four of the children. 

The women spend the next half hour catching up on everything that’s been going on since Olivia’s party last week. Mulan tells her about her impromptu business trip she had to make a few days ago, Regina asking if everything went okay. 

Mulan owns Storybrooke’s community center, an endeavor she took on with her brother soon after they arrived. Chang usually teaches the martial arts classes while Mulan is in charge of self defense courses - something not particularly needed these days in their peaceful little town, but still a good skill for people to have just in case. The center’s equipment had been run down after hardly being used for two decades, and Mulan had finally found a supplier that she thought provided high enough quality items for her members. She’d met with them earlier this week, securing enough equipment with her city funded budget (that Regina had approved last month) to last quite a few more years. 

“It was good,” Mulan nods, assuring the mayor that she didn’t use all of the allotted funds so, “Hopefully I can find something to use the money for soon. Maybe that kickboxing class I’ve been wanting to implement.”

Regina nods, saying that sounds like a great idea. 

Snow smiles, listening to her best friend and wife discuss business, but interrupts, suggesting they should offer some classes at the elementary school. 

The three discuss the idea, tossing other options around before changing the subject. 

They watch the kids playing, laughing when Eric trips over Henry’s feet, causing him to fall into the teenager’s side before rolling into the sand dramatically. “Boys are so rough,” Regina laughs, rubbing her belly. “It’s been so long since I raised one, I almost forget until I see those two.” She points toward the twins, giggling as Snow shakes her head. 

“You can’t really compare them to Henry, though,” the pixie haired brunette laughs. “Our boys are… more rambunctious than I remember Henry being.”

Mulan laughs, apologizing and admitting that’d be her fault. They definitely got their spunk from the warrior side of the family. 

Regina laughs, assuring them that their boys are just being typical boys, playing together and having fun. 

“I’ve certainly had to learn that a few scrapes and bruises never hurt anyone,” Snow jokes, shaking her head. 

Regina smiles to herself, thankful Henry was never quite  _ as _ rough as Eli and Eric, and hopes neither will the new baby since he won’t have a wild twin to egg him on. Although, he’ll have Olivia, and isn’t that practically the same thing?

Smirking, Regina informs them they can at least run around today outside while the weather is still nice. “Maybe they’ll sleep like hibernating bears tonight because of it.”

“One can only hope!” Mulan chirps, causing them all to snicker.

The women are quiet for a few moments, taking the time without kids to check their email and not worry too much about the kids knowing David and Henry are with them.

“So how have things been, Regina?” Snow asks, locking her phone and setting it on her thigh.

She smiles, looking between the two women on either side of her. She tells them about the 4D ultrasound this morning, saying she has pictures for them in her purse. “I’ll get them when I can get up from this bench again,” she huffs playfully, pointing toward the direction of David’s car where her purse resides. Regina gushes to them about the features they saw and how she secretly hopes their little boy looks like David. “How cute would he be with blonde hair?”

Snow and Mulan smile, nodding in agreement. “Maybe he’ll be the opposite of Olivia,” Mulan suggests, “blonde hair and brown eyes.”

She smiles at that, the image in her mind warming her heart. “That would be lovely.”

Snow prods some more, asking how things have been since the party. “I know you were worried about forgetting to tell him and everything.”

Regina nods solemnly, admitting, “I was. I apologized several times, and he’s promised me it’s okay.” Her cheeks flush, remembering how they’d made up so many times that night and the next day, but she won’t dare share that with her friends, no matter how close they may be. 

Mulan seems to get the hint, chuckling under her breath on one side of her while Snow sits on the other, oblivious to Regina’s thoughts. 

As always when thinking about David, though, Regina is overcome with fear for the future. She bites down on her lip, twisting her hands together. 

Snow reaches over, taking her hand in her own, and looking at Regina in concern. “What is it?”

Sighing, Regina shakes her head. “It’s nothing.” She shrugs her shoulders, cursing the tears that sting her eyes in this moment. At Snow’s insistence and Mulan’s comforting rub between her shoulder blades, Regina let’s out a defeated, “I’m just worried.”

The women question her about it, and she finally confesses, “I’m worried that even  _ if _ his memories come back, his emotions won’t be there.”

“What do you mean?” Snow questions, turning to get a better look at her. 

Huffing, Regina reaches up, dragging a hand down her face before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “I just mean… he might remember, sure, but that doesn’t mean his emotions will connect with the memories.” She explains to them how he’d already admitted as much to her before when he’d gotten a few flashbacks of their marriage. When his memories of Olivia flooded him, the emotions did too, giving Regina a little bit of hope, but the next time he remembered something involving her, there were no emotions there. She’d spoken to Whale about it, of course, who had regretfully informed her that was a typical development in memory recovery. “I just fear that it won’t be the same… it will never be how it was.”

Mulan shakes her head, trying to comfort her by vowing that he already is falling back in love with her, he’d told her as much. Regina shakes her head at her words, however, the emotions overwhelming her as she lets a tear trickle down her cheek.

Reaching up to swipe it away, it’s as if the floodgates of her fears have opened and she asks, “Will he still love me like he did before?” She sighs through her nose, adding, “He loves me, sure, but will it be the deep, souls connected kind of love that we had before the accident?” She looks from side to side at each of her friends, eyebrows pinched as she explains, “Right now it’s just… flirty, you know? Puppy dog love, not the deep -  _ you’re my other half -  _ type of love we shared before.”

Sniffling, she leans her head on Snow’s shoulder briefly, breathing out deeply. Mulan pats her back some more, and she’s so thankful for their friendship. Sitting up, she discloses how she’s been talking with Archie, and they both encourage her that that’s a good thing. 

Regina smiles, nodding and telling them she knows. David has been going, and she thought it would be a good idea for her to pick her sessions back up (she’d stopped going soon after the curse was broken all those years ago, but remembered how nice it was to talk with him, to get it all out in a safe environment, free of judgement). 

“It’s been helpful,” she admits with a pitiful shrug. “But Archie still doesn’t know what to tell me when I ask him the same things I’m asking you. No one can assuage my fears that my husband won’t ever love me like he used to.”

They’re silent for a minute, her words reverberating in all their minds as her friends determine exactly what to say to make her feel better. She can feel the couple eyeing each other across her, silently trying to find the right words of advice. 

“Regina…” Mulan starts, but she waves her off, pressing down on her belly as her little boy kicks back. 

“Don’t,” she chides, knowing there’s nothing they can say to make her feel better. Her fears can’t be soothed by words of comfort. The only thing to take them away is for David’s memories to come back. 

She hears Snow sigh from beside her, and looking over, she just knows another hope speech is on the tip of her tongue. “I’m not going to give you a whole speech,” Snow declares, giving Regina a pointed look.

Smirking, glad her stepdaughter knows her so well, she lets out a single dry scoff. “But…?”

Snow beams, sitting up straighter, clinging to the glimmer of permission she’s just been granted from Regina. “ _ But _ ,” she emphasizes, looking over to Mulan who just rolls her eyes at her wife, “You  _ do _ need to have hope, Regina.”

Cutting her eyes back over to the perky woman, she gives her a knowing look. Snow shakes her head, clicking her tongue against her teeth. “I know, I know, I know,” she declares, holding up her hands. “But it’s true! If you don’t have hope that David will love you like he did, what do you have to hold onto? You can’t just give up completely.”

“Can’t I?” Regina asks dryly, rolling her eyes once more for good measure as she turns to look out at David chasing the twins around the swing set. A small smile blooms as she does, loving that man with every ounce of her being despite him possibly never loving her as deeply again. 

Snow huffs, grabbing Regina by one shoulder and garnering her full attention. “Even if his memories never come back fully, or,” she looks up to the sky as if she’s thinking, saying, “if he never loves you the way he once did, David  _ does _ love you, and that’s a wonderful thing!”

The tears that had ceased come back, and Regina twists her lips, trying to keep them at bay. She blinks rapidly, knowing Snow is right. She knows that having this version of David love her is amazing, but it’s not the same. She  _ misses _ her husband - misses the level of comfort they shared before, where she could completely be herself around him. She misses not having to explain little details about their lives. She just misses…  _ him _ . 

But she can’t admit that, can she? She knows that makes her sound like a terrible person and more importantly, an awful wife. She vowed to stick by him in sickness and in health, and she  _ is _ , she would never leave David over this, of course she wouldn’t, but it’s hard, no matter how much he may love her now. 

Breathing in deeply, she tells Mulan and Snow this, finally confesses to someone how she misses the David he was before, and where she thought there would be judgement, her friends only look at her in understanding. 

Mulan squeezes her shoulder, assuring her that she’s justified in her emotions. “It’s hard,” Mulan sympathizes with a shrug, adding that she can’t imagine what Regina is going through. “If Snow woke up one day and couldn’t remember me or the boys, I’d be devastated.” 

Regina nods in thanks, biting her lip to try and quell the tears. Mulan goes on, reminding Regina how strong she’s been through all of this, how she’s dealt with everything like the brave, amazing woman she is, and the tightness in Regina’s chest loosens. It’s nice hearing someone else admit that they would struggle too if they were going through this. It feels good to be understood on some level. 

Thanking them, Regina wipes under her eyes, drying any stray tears that may be lingering as Olivia bounds up the hill toward them. “Mama! Mama!” she shouts, giggling as she runs toward Regina, looking over her shoulders every few seconds. “Save me!”

The three women laugh as David appears, one twin connected to each leg, each one growling and reaching out like a zombie toward Olivia. 

“Oh no!” Mulan gasps, standing up and making her way to David. She pretends to battle the twin zombie, defeating him when David dramatically falls to the ground, both boys groaning at their loss of battle.

Snow and Regina glance over at each other, smirking at their families. 

Taking a deep breath, Regina opens her arms, letting Olivia climb into her lap. The twins settle onto the picnic blanket, begging Henry to read to them when he finally makes his way up from the playground. David lays out in the grass, breathing deeply. He looks up to Regina from where he lays, chuckling and confessing he doesn’t have as much energy as he once did in the Enchanted Forest.

The adults all laugh, Snow assuring him that he definitely does not - none of them do - and they all spend the next half hour catching their breath and enjoying the sunshine. 

Olivia stays in Regina’s lap, rubbing her belly like she so loves to do and talking softly to the baby as Regina calms herself down, not wanting her family to see the tears she’d shed on their outing. She has a feeling David can sense it from the way her keeps squeezing her ankle lovingly, giving her a face that reads far too much like,  _ Are you alright?  _ So she just gives him a reassuring nod and a tight smile, telling herself that everything will be okay.

{*************************}

The ride home from the park is quiet. She can’t tell if Henry and Olivia are tired from playing all afternoon or what, but she is grateful for the silence so she can stew in her emotions even longer. David has been uncharacteristically quiet, glancing over at her every few minutes. He’s quietly humming to the radio as he taps the beat of the song to the back of her hand that he holds, though, bringing a small smile to her lips despite how stuck in her own feelings (and head) she is right now. Once home, Regina makes a half assed excuse about needing to run to the grocery store, when really she’s escaping to the cemetery to try and find a solution to their problem. Kissing the tops of the kids’ heads and giving David a light smooch as well, she heads to her vault. 

She’s been scouring it for hours now, searching through every spell book she could get her hands on but to no avail.

Huffing in defeat, Regina flips through another one of the many books she keeps down here, finding nothing about reversing memory loss. 

There’s pages upon pages about wiping someone’s memory, stealing memories, changing memories - all dark magic, spells she once would have loved to cast upon her worst enemies. But of course, no book pertaining to magic as dark as hers will have the cure for such a spell. What evil doer would want to reverse their handiwork? 

Tossing her current book to the side with a grunt, Regina picks up another from the messy stack she’d created when she’d stormed in, grabbing all the tomes she could find and bringing them to rest upon her table in the middle of the room. “Fuck,” she mutters angrily, flipping through more pages of worthless information. Tears prick her eyes and she moves her jaw side to side trying not to cry  _ again _ as she starts to realize this is useless. Nothing in her vault will be of any use to her.

She turns, scratching at her stomach as her eyes scan the walls, checking the ingredients still left down there. She pulls a few - dog’s breath, eye of newt, dragon’s tooth (she has Mal to thank for that one), hemlock root, among others - hoping to make a concoction that might work. Regina thinks back to the spell she cast on herself when Henry was a baby, the one that took her knowledge of who his birth mother was, allowing her to enjoy the time spent with her little prince. She looks up those items, rummaging in her brain as to what would counteract those, but comes up short. 

Nothing.

There’s nothing in her mind that can work. Nothing in these books that will help. She doubts Rumple has any book with reversal spells, he’s already told her as much when she first asked him about it weeks ago. Useless imp. 

Anger boils inside of her, the baby boy in her belly giving her a gentle kick, clearly trying to take her mind from the troubles and calm her down. Nothing is working though. She misses David, knows she has him, but it’s not the  _ same _ . No one seems to understand that everything is different now. Yes, he is falling for her, and yes, they are getting along. That’s all wonderful, but they’re not as comfortable with one another as they once were, she can’t completely be herself just yet, it’s like living with a new boyfriend instead of a man whom you were so deeply attached to, you never saw yourself living with anyone else, and she hates it. Hates feeling like she has to put on a show in front of her husband. 

Those tears finally fall freely, making a resentful path down her cheeks as she cries. Shouting out in angered frustration, Regina throws her current spell book across the room. It hits the wall, thudding to the ground, shattering empty potion bottles that sit near it and stirring up the dust around it. Regina slumps to the floor, back sliding against a wooden trunk that still holds some of her old garments from the Enchanted Forest. She places her hand on her stomach, rubbing circles to try and calm herself down, but to no avail.

“Damn it,” she whimpers sadly, wiping the tears from her face as more fall in their place. Life is so unfair, she thinks. Always has been for her. Taking a shaky breath, Regina fiddles with a broken piece of glass near her thigh, tossing it across from her, shattering it into even smaller pieces as it hits the stone wall. She sniffles, tears falling down her face even harder. There seems to be no stopping it now, but she doesn’t care. She’s all alone here, no one to tell her it will all be okay or to give her a hope speech. She can let out her fiery resentment and then go home, pretend everything is alright, and go on living her life with a husband that will never fully remember her.

Maybe Snow was wrong, maybe there’s no hope in returning David’s memories after all. This is her new normal, and she has to learn to live with it. Somehow.

{*********************}

Once her tears have dried and she’s calmed her nerves, Regina makes her way back home. 

When she walks in, the downstairs is dark save for a light flowing into the hallway from the living room. Checking the time on her phone, she sees she was in her vault far longer than she’d planned. It’s past bedtime now, and she instantly feels guilty for not tucking Olivia in.

David is sitting on the couch, television casting a glow on his skin as he sips on a soda. She smiles, loving this man despite her fears. 

Regina pads over to where he sits, feet propped up on the coffee table with his ankles crossed, and joins him. “Hey, you,” she says quietly, taking the can from his grip and setting it on the table. 

David smiles over at her, looping his arm over her shoulder and bringing her closer to him. Regina smiles softly back and pulls her legs up on the couch, snuggling into his muscled chest. 

She hums contentedly, rubbing her stomach as she lays her head on his shoulder, mindlessly watching children compete in a cooking competition together. 

He’s quiet, but she doesn’t mind. It’s nice to sit together like this, peaceful, not having anything to do or anyone to take care of. It’s a lazy night and she loves it.

“You okay?” David asks, popping the bubble around them. He kisses the top of her head as she nods, confirming with a mumbled,  _ I’m fine. _

David lets out a breath through his nose, saying, “I wish you would talk to me, Regina.”

Furrowing her brow, she sits up straight, twisting to look at him. “What do you mean?” Old fears creep inside of her as visions of Snow White possibly spilling yet another one of her secrets invade her mind. 

David gives her a sympathetic smile, tilting his head to the side and reaching over to pick up his drink, taking another sip of his drink. “You just seemed off after the park earlier,” he explains, tapping the end of her nose. 

She relaxes at the touch, sighing out. Biting her lip, she stares into his eyes, deciding how honest she wants to be with him. One one hand, if she tells him of her deepest fears about all of this, she will feel a huge weight lifted off of her shoulders. But on the other hand, she would never want David to feel guilty, never want him to feel burdened by her fears. It’s why she never confided in him with this particular worry in the first place. It’s the whole damn reason she opened up to Snow and Mulan at the park and why she meets with Archie once a week. If David was aware of it, she knew he would feel pressured to remember her, which is the last thing she wants. If he feels pressured, there’s a higher risk of his memories never coming back at all. 

Sitting up straight and taking a deep breath, Regina blows it out, deciding to just be honest. That’s always been their policy with one another - always be honest, no matter what. “I was just… upset… earlier.”

She looks up at him under her lashes and sees a look of concern cross his features. David rights himself on the couch, sitting up but laying his arm across the back of the couch so he can play with the ends of her hair. “Upset about what, babe?”

Closing her eyes, Regina calms her racing heart before explaining, “I was telling Snow and Mulan how I’m afraid…” she trails off, reaching up to play with the hem of his shirt sleeve, “afraid that you won’t ever remember me completely.” She glances up, catching his eye. He’s looking at her so understandingly that it makes her heart ache. “You may get your memories back, but we can’t know for sure if you’ll ever have the same emotions for me that you once did.”

She rambles on, telling him everything she’d already expounded on at the park earlier today. He watches her closely, nodding as she speaks. When she finishes, she looks up at David sheepishly. “I’m sorry…”

“What are you sorry for?” he asks in confusion, scooting closer and pulling her to him. “Your fears make complete sense.” He admits that he has the same fears, how he stays awake at night begging any god that will listen to bring his old emotions back. “I want the same thing, Regina, more than anything,” he vows, saying, “I’m sorry I can’t promise you things will get better. That hurts me more than you know.”

Shaking her head and wishing the tears forming in her eyes to go away, she tells him that she knows. She understands that he can’t make empty promises to her like that, and she wouldn’t want him to. “We just have to take things one day at a time,” she states, adding timidly around the lump in her throat, “but some days are harder than others for me.”

She swipes under her eye, making sure no stray tear has fallen, and she smiles over to him. 

“Regina,” he sighs guiltily. She can see his blue eyes shining with tears, and oh, she hates this. She knew he would feel bad, and she didn’t want that at all. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this sooner?”

He looks hurt, and she breathes out deeply through her nose, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. David smiles into the embrace, pulling her close once again. Pulling back slightly, she looks deep into his eyes, telling him exactly why she didn’t disclose her fears to him before now. “I didn’t want you to feel like you  _ had _ to remember me,” she explains, tears threatening to form once again, damn it, but she pushes them away. “I want it to come naturally, if it comes back at all. I don’t want you feel pressured to remember just because I miss how we used to be. That’s not fair to you.”

It’s a quiet confession, but one that she knows he hears loud and clear. 

Regina lays her head on his shoulder once more, and he presses his cheek to her hair. They stay there for a while, her arm draped over his stomach and his feet propped up on the table as they watch the little twelve year old boy be crowned king of the kitchen. After a few minutes of peace, David breaks the silence again, saying he understands why she didn’t tell him but, “You know I love you right?”

Regina smiles brightly, giving him a nod and a sincere, “I love you, too,” back because she does. She knows David loves her, just not in the same way he used to.

She leans in, pressing her lips to his. He deepens the kiss, giving her all the love he has for her right now through the kiss as if they’re teenagers trying to makeout before mom and dad come home. Shifting her body so they’re more closely pressed together (as close as they can be with a thirty-two week belly stuck between them), a moan escapes the back of David’s throat as his hand comes to tangle in her long hair.

When they pull back, breathless, they settle further into the couch together, and she grins to herself. This may not be the life she signed up for, it surely isn’t the one she imagined for herself when she and David got married, but if this is her new life, she’s pretty damn lucky. 

{************************}

_ Thoughts? _


End file.
